so extreamly troubled at Barrenness She shall bear upon my Knees Bring me a Child whom I may set upon my Knees as my own For so it follows That I may have Children Though not by my own Body yet by her For she being Rachel's Servant the Children that were born of her were Rachel's Children not her own Ver. 4. And she gave him Bilhah her hand-maid to Wife Of such kind of Wives as this and Zilpah verse 9. see XXV 6. Ver. 6. God hath judged me Decided the Controversie between me and my Sister and given Sentence on my side She called his Name Dan. The Mother 's sometimes gave Names to their Children as Leah had done to hers mentioned in the foregoing Chapter but with the Approbation of the Father who sometime controlled them XXXV 18. Ver. 8. With great wrestlings c. I have strugled exceeding hard i. e. in incessant vehement Desires and perhaps in Prayers to God to have another Child before my Sister and have prevailed Ver. 9. Took Zilpah her Maid and gave her to Jacob to Wife Imitating her Sister and perhaps out of the same Principle hoping some or other of her Children might be the Father of the Messiah And therefore the more Children she had the more likely some of them might be so happy Ver. 11. A troop cometh The Hebrew Writers generally expound it Good fortune cometh as Mr. Selden shows in his Syntagm de Diis Syris Cap. I. And the LXX translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a lucky hour And other Greek Versions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in St. Chrysostom Hom. LVI on this Book who expounds it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have obtained my aim Others have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the same Whence the Latin anciently had it Beata facta or Foelix sum as in St. Austin Q. XCI in Gen. And this seems to some to be nearer to the Hebrew than any other Translation because what other way soever we expound the word Gad either for a Troop or Fortune we must make two words of Bagad as the Masorites do and take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according as we translate it A Troop cometh or Good Fortune cometh But I see no necessity of this for taking Gad for a Troop it may be simply translated With a Troop a Troop shall follow this i. e. a great many more Children And it must be confessed that Jacob in his Blessing XLIX 19. doth allude to this signification of the word which I doubt not is the truest For Gad or Gada never denotes Fortune any where but in the Targum of Onkelos and Jonathan and among the Rabbins who follow them And therefore this may be lookt upon as a later not the ancient signification of the word Ver. 14. In the days of Wheat-harvest Which began at Pentecost when the First-Fruits of it were offered as Barley-harvest began at the Passover Mandrakes In the Hebrew the word is Dudaim Which here signifies the Fruit of a Tree or Plant whatsoever it be and in the Book of Canticles VII 13. it signifies the Flowers and these are the only two places where this word is found in the Bible Which Job Ludolphus gives many reasons to prove cannot signifie a Mandrake For the Flowers of that have a bad smell and the Fruit of it a bad taste And therefore after great variety of Opinions he concludes it to be that which in Syria they call Mauz Which is an excellent sort of Fruit growing upon a Plant in the top of which there are great Bunches of it like a Cucumer From whence he fansies this Fruit was anciently called Dudaim From the Hebrew word Dud which signifies propinquus cognatus amicus a Neighbour Kinsman or Friend Such were these Dudaim which he calls Cognatos ant patrueles ab una stirpe profectos vide Comment in L. I. Histor Aethiop cap. 9. n. 72. Ver. 15. Taken away my Husband It seems he had estranged himself for some time from Leah's Bed out of his great Love to Rachel or because he took little Delight in her Or Rachel's envy at her having so many Children when she her self had none made her contrive ways to keep him from Leah Ver. 16. Thou must come in to me c. I cannot think of any good Reason either of this Contention among Jacob's Wives for his Company or their giving him their Maids to be his Wives or for Moses his taking such particular notice of all this but only the earnest Desire they had to fulfil the Promise made to Abraham That his Seed should be as the Stars of Heaven for Multitude and that in one Seed of his the Messiah all the Nations of the Earth should be blessed It had been below the Dignity of such a Sacred History as this is to relate such things if there had not been something of great Consideration in them And what can that be but chiefly the Birth of the blessed Seed which was the Object of the Hopes of all pious People in those Days For it is evident both by Rachel and her Sister that it was Children they desired and not merely the Company of their Husbands As it here follows verse 17. Ver. 17. God hearkned to Leah To her earnest Prayer or vehement Desire And gave her another Son Ver. 18. God hath given me my hire I purchased my Husband's Company and God hath repaid me by the Gift of another Son Unto which she adds a further Reflection as if this was the Reward of her Kindness to her Husband in bestowing her Maid upon him to be his Wife Ver. 19. Conceived again The birth of this Son begat a greater Kindness between them and made him less a stranger to her Bed Ver. 20. God hath endowed me with a good Dowry By restoring her Husband to her and bestowing new Fruitfulness upon her For she had ceased to bear XXIX ult Ver. 21. Dinah No reason is given of her Name But it seems to have the same with that of Rachel's First-born by Bilhah verse 6. For as if she had now got the better of Rachel she calls this Child by a Name importing Judgment Ver. 22. God remembred Rachel He would not have Leah insult over her nor triumph too much and therefore blessed Rachel with a Son out of her own Womb. For that was to remember her Ver. 24. Joseph His Name seems to have been taken both from ending her Reproach which she mentions before verse 23. The LORD hath taken away Asaph the Hebrew word is my reproach And from adding another Son to this God shall add to me another Son This was a great Expression of her Faith more than we find in all the former Births Ver. 25. Send me away It is plain by this that the seven Years Service for Rachel were now finished just when Joseph was born And therefore he desires to be dismissed having lived with him fourteen Years To my own
mention of plenty of Corn and Wine and gives him no such Dominion as he did to Jacob the Jews observe other differences and whatsoever fatness was in the Soil of his Country it did not last as appears by Mal. I. 3. Ver. 40. By thy Sword shalt thou live Live upon Spoil Or as others interpret it be in perpetual War to defend thy Country And shalt serve thy Brother Here Isaac speaks out the very words of the Oracle mentioned before XXV 23. which was fulfilled in the days of David 2 Sam. VIII 14. and 1 Chron. XVIII 13. the Circumstances of which Conquest are more fully described 1 Kings XI 15 c. And again after they had recovered some strength Amaziah made great slaughters among them 2 Kings XIV 7. As the Maccabees did afterwards 1 Macc. V. 65. and at last were utterly disabled by Hircanus the Son of Simon Maccabaeus as we read in Josephus L. XIII Antiq. c. 17. When thou shalt have the Dominion St. Hierom and the LXX do not understand this of their having any Dominion over the Seed of Jacob which we never read of but only of their re-gaining Power to shake off subjection to them as it follows in the next words Thou shalt break his Yoke from off thy Neck Which they did in the Days of Joram as we read 2 Kings VIII 20 22. 2 Chron. XXI 8 c. Ver. 41. And Esau said in his Heart Designed and resolved within himself And as it should seem was so full of it that he could not contain his Purpose within his own Breast but in his Anger blurted it out to some Body who told it to Rebekah The days of mourning for my Father c. He will die shortly in which he was deceived for he lived three and forty Years after this and then I will be revenged He had some regard to his Father still remaining whom he would not grieve but no consideration of his Mother who had helpt Jacob to supplant him Ver. 44. Tarry with him a few days A Year or two But herein she also was mistaken For he did not return in twenty Years time Vntil thy Brother's fury Time in which various things happen very much allaies Fury and Rage Ver. 45. And he forget c. The memory of it be much worn out and grown weak Why should I be deprived of you both in one day She had reason to think that if Esau killed Jacob and the Publick Justice did not punish it according to the Precept IX 6. which had setled Courts of Judicature God himself would prosecute Esau with his Vengeance as he did Cain Ver. 46. I am weary of my life because of the Daughters of Heth. The two Wives of Esau who were Hittites were such a continual vexation to her that she wisht rather to die than to live among them If Jacob take a Wife c. She pretends only this reason for sending Jacob among her Kindred and says not a word of the danger his Life was in For she would not afflict her Husband but only preserve her Son What good shall my life do me I had rather die than live in such perpetual vexation Therefore let him go and take a Wife as Abraham did for thee of our Kindred CHAP. XXVIII Ver. 1. AND Isaac called Jacob. Sent for him to come to him And blessed him Renewed and confirmed the Blessing he had already given him That it might not be thought to be of less force because procured by Artifice and Subtilty XXVII 35. Ver. 2. To Padan-Aram See XXV 20. Ver. 3. And God Almighty bless thee c. This is the solemn Blessing mentioned verse 1. wherein he ratifies what he had done And more fully and distinctly settles the Land of Promise upon him and makes him the Father of the promised Seed Ver. 4. Give thee the Blessing of Abraham The Blessing of Abraham was that he should inherit the Land of Canaan and that in his Seed all the Nations of the Earth should be blessed Gen. XV. 18. XXII 18 Both which he now confirms to Jacob. Ver. 5. And Isaac sent away Jacob. In some haste as the LXX translate verse 2. Arise flee i. e. depart without any delay Which looks as if Rebekah had at last suggested something to him of the Danger he was in And he went to Padan-Aram Prepared himself to go and set forward Or else it is spoken by anticipation for he did not come thither till after several Passages which are related in this and in the next Chapter Son of Bethuel the Syrian See XXV 20. Jacob's and Esau's Mother Now Jacob is put first as being lately declared Isaac's Heir and Heir of all the Promises Ver. 9. Then went Esau unto Ishmael c. To the Family of Ishmael for he himself died fourteen Years ago And therefore Nebaioth his eldest Son XXV 13. is here mentioned as the present Head of the Family Whose Sister Esau married Whereby he showed himself not to have any great regard to the Divine Revelation Otherwise he could not but have known that this Family being descended from a Bond-Woman was not to inherit the Promises made to Abraham and Isaac Ver. 10. Jacob went out from Beer-sheba c. Quite alone without any Servants to attend him and without any Presents to court a Wife or gain the Kindness of Laban Neither of which were wanting when Abraham sent Eliezer to take a Wife for Isaac But as he was sent away in haste as I noted before verse 5. so hereby the Anger of Esau was mitigated who at present was left the sole Possessor of all Isaac's Riches and saw Jacob depart in a poor Condition This also was an act of Divine Faith that God would take a singular Care of him and let him want nothing And as they could not but hope that Laban being so near a Relation would be glad to see him and entertain him So it is probable he might carry Letters of Credence with him that he was to be Heir to Isaac as Eliezer assured them Isaac was to be to Abraham XXIV 36. We are to suppose likewise that he was not sent without Money to bear his Charges as we speak and had some Provision with him For we read of Oil verse 18. which he poured on the top of the Pillar Ver. 11. And he lighted upon a certain place c. A convenient place shaded with lovely Trees see verse 19. to lodge in Unto which he did not go by design but hapned as we speak upon it when he did not think of it And he took of the Stones of that place One Stone from among many others that were there As appears from verse 18. The same form of Speech was observed before XIX 29. XXI 7. Ver. 12. And he dreamed He had the following Representation made to him in a Dream Behold a Ladder c. It is judiciously observed by Maimonides in his Preface to his More Nevochim that there are two sorts of Prophetick
when the Mind is weary with enquiring it is satisfied with a false Reason rather than have none The promise also of Knowledge was very tempting especially of such Knowledge as he gave her hope would raise and advance her to a more noble Condition And it is likely she thought an heavenly Minister as she took him to be might understand God's meaning better than her self Ver. 6. And when the Woman saw the Tree was good c. This Verse gives a further account of that which seems very strange the Disobedience of our first Parents She look'd so long upon the forbidden Fruit till she not only had an Appetite to it as excellent Food but was taken with its beautiful Colour and was also strongly possessed by the persuasion of the old Serpent that her Mind would be no less pleased than her Palate by an increase in Knowledge and Wisdom These were powerful Temptations expressed in these words good for Food pleasant to the Eyes and to be desired to make one Wise and she could see no Evil in the thing it self it being the mere Pleasure of God of which she did not apprehend the Reason that made the eating of it a Crime This Fruit also was planted not in an obscure place but in the midst of the Garden Verse 3. near to the Tree of Life Which made it the more inviting by its being always in her Eye as well as very beautiful and raised perhaps the greater wonder in her that God should forbid a thing which he had made so eminent for its Beauty Hereupon she yielded and as it follows took of the Fruit thereof and did eat And gave unto her Husband with her Who returned to her it is likely as she was eating the Fruit and was soon persuaded to bear her company for it immediately follows and he did eat It is a question whether he debated the Matter with her till he was satisfied with the Arguments that moved her to eat or his great Affection to her drew him in to do as she did Without any other Consideration perhaps than this That he chose rather to die than out-live one whom he loved most passionately To this last the Apostle's words seem to incline 1 Tim. II. 14. Adam was not deceived Though they do not necessarily signifie it must be confessed That he was not seduced by the Tempter's Arguments but only that Eve was first seduced and then help'd to seduce him So that he might be wrought upon both by those Arguments and by his Affection also to his Wife But could have been deceived by neither had he not been first guilty of a great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as St. Chrysostom calls it heedlesness and non-attention arising from sloth and negligence The Reflection which Gregor Nazianzen makes upon her gazing upon the beautiful Fruit is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Orat. XLVII p. 700. D. Ver. 7. And the Eyes of them both were opened Not in the Sense the Serpent promised but a very much different For they soon saw their Folly and made sad Reflections upon what they had done And they knew or felt that they were naked A cold shivering seized on them and they perceived also that they were stript of their intellectual Ornaments as Athanasius expounds it contra Gentes p. 4. and blush'd also at their Bodily Nakedness of which they were not before at all ashamed And they sewed Fig-leaves together Or twisted the young Twigs of the Fig-tree with the Leaves on them Which are very broad in the Eastern Countries Pliny reckons this among the Trees that have the largest Leaves L. XVI cap. 24 and cap. 26. where he saith it hath folium maximum umbrosissimúmque the greatest and most shady Leaf of all other And made themselves Aprons A covering which they girt about them Ver. 8. And they heard the Voice of the LORD walking in the Garden The Sound of the Majestatick Presence or the Glory of the LORD approaching nearer and nearer unto the place where they were For the walking may be referred to Voice as well as to the LORD Signifying that the Sound as I said for so Voice is often used in Scripture of the Divine Majesty's approach came still nearer and made a louder Noise to terrifie them For thus the word walk is applied to the Voice i. e. Sound of the Trumpet at the giving of the Law when Moses says of it Exod. XIX 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it walked or increased and grew stronger Just so I conceive the Sound which the Motion of the SCHECHINAH made did at this time And that In the cool of the Day When the Wind began to rise so it is in the Hebrew in the wind of the Day that is towards the Evening as most understand it For then there was wont to be a gentle breath of Wind as Aristotle observes of his Country 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the West Wind was wont to blow towards the close of the Day Which being a soft and gentle Gale the Sound they heard was the more astonishing which seemed to threaten a dreadful Storm Onkelos thus paraphrases the first words they heard the Voice of the WORD of the LORD That is of the Son of God who appeared in very glorious Clouds or rather in flaming Fire of such an amazing Brightness that they were not able to endure the sight of it For so it follows Adam and his Wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God c. It 's plain by this there was the appearance of an extraordinary Presence Which affrighted them and made them run among the Trees of the Garden i. e. into the Thickets or the closest places they could find there I cannot but think the SCHECHINAH or Divine Majesty appeared quite otherwise than formerly That is not in so mild a Lustre as when they were first acquainted with him but in a more terriole burning Light as if it would consume them For so we read in after-times that the same LORD who appeared unto Moses in a flame of Fire out of the midst of a Bush Ex. III. 2. came down in a more dreadful manner at the giving of the Law from Mount Sinai When the Mountain was altogether on a smoak Exod. XIX 18. because the LORD descended upon it in Fire And that Fire so great that it flamed unto the midst of Heaven Deut. IV. 11. with darkness clouds and thick darkness Ver. 9. And the LORD God called unto Adam As he did to Moses out of the Bush Exod. III. 4. and to Israel out of the midst of the Fire Deut. IV. 12. And said unto him With a Majestick Voice against which he could not stop his Ears Where art thou Why dost thou run into Coverts like the wild Beasts Such Questions do not argue Ignorance in him that asks them but are intended to awaken the Guilty to a confession of their Crimes As appears from IV. 10. Where is Abel thy
deduces the Genealogy of Seth down to the Flood and so to his own time c. And also relates particularly Chap. V. to what Age the Life of his principal Posterity was prolonged It seems he look'd upon Cain's Race as such a Reprobate Generation that he would not number them in the Book of the Living As St. Cyril speaks Ver. 19. Lamech took unto him two Wives By a small transposition of Letters Lamech being the same with Melech which signifies a King some of the Jews fansie him to have been a great Man For none but such they say had two Wives in those ancient Times Though they hold it was lawful as Selden shows L. V. De Jure N. G. cap. 6. for any Body that could maintain them to have had more But it is more likely that Lamech was the first that adventured to transgress the Original Institution Which was observed even by the Cainites till this time When perhaps his earnest desire of seeing that blessed Seed which was promised to Eve might induce him to take more Wives than one Hoping by multiplying his Posterity some or other of them might prove so happy as to produce that Seed And this he might possibly persuade himself was the more likely because the Right that was in Cain the First-born he might now conclude was revived in himself Who being the Seventh from Cain had some reason to imagine the Curse laid upon him of being punished sevenfold i. e. for seven Generations was now expired and his Posterity restored to the Right of fulfilling the Promise Ver. 20. He was the Father The Hebrews call him the Father of any thing who was the first Inventer of it or a most excellent Master in that Art Such was Jabal in the Art of making Tents folding Flocks and all other parts of Pastorage Which though begun by Abel was not by him brought to Perfection Or if it were Jabal was the first in the Family of Cain that was Eminent in the following Inventions Of such as dwell in Tents Taught Men to pitch Tents which were movable Houses that might easily be carried from place to place when there was occasion to remove for new Pasture Under this is comprehended all that belongs to the Care of Cattle in their breeding feeding and preserving as appears by what follows And of such as have Cattle In the Hebrew the words are and of Cattle Where the copulative Vau which we translate and signifies as much as with And so the words are to be here translated such as dwell in Tents with Cattle Thus Bochartus observes it is used 1 Sam. XIV 18. The Ark of God was at that time with the Children of Israel as we with the Ancients truly translate it And so it should be translated Exod. I. 5. All the Souls that came out of Jacob's loins were seventy Souls with Joseph For Joseph is not to be added as we seem to understand it unto the Seventy but made up that Number as appears from Gen. XLVI 27. So that the Sence of this whole Verse seems to be That though Men fed Cattle before in good Pastures yet Jabal was the first that by the Invention of Tents made the more Desart Countries serviceable to them Where when they had eaten up all the Grass in one place they might in a little time take up their Tents and fix them in another To this purpose R. Solomon Jarchi And in these Tents it 's likely he taught them to defend their Cattle as well as themselves from Heat and Cold and all other Dangers to which they were exposed in those Desart Places Ver. 21. Father of such as handle the Harp and Organ The first Inventer of Musical Instruments and that taught Men to play upon them What Cinnor is which we translate Harp see in Bochartus his Canaan L. II. cap. 7. p. 808. I believe the first word includes in it all Stringed the latter all Wind Musical Instruments It is possible that Apollo or Linus or Orpheus for there are all these various Opinions might be the Inventor of the Harp among the Greeks But it was their Vanity that made them fansie such Instruments had their Original in their Country Ver. 22. Tubal-Cain The Arabians still call a Plate of Iron or Brass by the Name of Tubal as Bochartus observes out of Avicenna and others L. III. Phaleg cap. 12. who as it follows in the Text was An instructer of every Artificer in Brass and Iron i. e. Found the Art of melting Metals and making all sorts of Weapons Arms and other Instruments of Iron and Brass Many think that Vulcan is the same with Tubal-Cain their Names being not unlike particularly Gerh. Vossius De Orig. Idolol L. I. cap. 16. His Sisters Name was Naamah Whom Vossius Ib. cap. 17. takes to have been the Heathen Minerva or Venus Her Name signifies Beautiful or Fair one of a sweet Aspect And the Arabians say she invented Colours and Painting as Jabal did Musick See Elmacinus p. 8. Ver. 23. And Lamech said unto his Wives c. Hear my Voice ye Wives of Lamech hearken unto my Speech Something had preceded these Words which was the occasion of them But it is hard to find what it was Jacobus Capellus indeed in his Historia Sacra Exotica hath a Conceit that Lamech was now in a vapouring Humor being puffed up with the glory of his Son's Inventions to whose Musick and other Arts he endeavoured to add Poetry Which he expressed in the following Words that seem to him a Thrasonical Hymn wherein he brags what Feats he would do For so he reads the Words with Aben Ezra not I have slain but I will kill a Man with one blow of my Fist c. But I can see no warrant for this Translation without a violence to the Hebrew Text and therefore we must seek for another Interpretation I have slain a Man to my wounding c. These Words would have a plain Exposition which otherwise are difficult if we could give Credit to the Hebrew Tradition which St. Hierom says several Christians followed That Lamech being informed by a certain Youth as he was a Hunting that there was a wild Beast lay lurking in a secret place went thither and unawares killed Cain who lay hid there And then in a Rage at what he had done fell upon the Youth that had occasion'd this mistake and beat him to death But as there is no certainty of this so it doth not agree with the next Verse Which seems to suppose Cain to be now alive Therefore Lud. de Dieu following Onkelos reads the Words by way of Interrogation Have I slain a Man Or so much as a Boy that you should be affraid of my Life It seems the use of Weapons being found out by one of his Sons and grown common his Wives apprehended that some Body or other might make use of them to slay him But he bids them Comfort themselves for he was not guilty of slaying
Rest and Quiet Because says he This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our Hands He expected some think that he should be the blessed Seed promised III. 15. Or that it should spring immediately from him But the last words toil of our hands seem to import some inferiour consolation which he expected from Noah And the Hebrew Interpreters generally expound it thus He shall make our Labour in tilling the Earth more easie and less toilsome to us Which agrees to what follows Because of the Ground which the LORD hath cursed There was a general Curse upon it for the Sin of Adam and a particular upon some part of it for the Sin of Cain Now God he foretells would take them both off in great measure and bless the Earth to the posterity of this same Man Who perfected the Art of Husbandry and found out fitter Instruments for plowing the Earth than had been known before When Men being chiefly imployed in digging and throwing up the Earth with their own Hands their labour was more difficult Which now is much abated because the pains lie more upon Beasts than upon Men. And indeed Noah is called IX 20. Isch haadamah a Man of the Ground which we translate an Husbandman one that improved Agriculture as other famous Men had done Pastorage and found out other Arts IV. 20 c. In the same place also IX 20. we read that Noah planted a Vineyard With respect to which if he was the first inventor of making Wine he might well be said here to comfort them concerning their work and toil of their hands Wine chearing the Heart and reviving the Spirits of Men that are spent with Labour But if the last Words of this Verse be expounded of the LORD 's Cursing the Ground by sending a Flood upon it as Enoch had foretold then Noah is here called their Comforter with respect to his being the Restorer of the World after it had been dispeopled by that inundation And so Jacobus Capellus not unreasonably interprets them to have relation to both Curses à maledictione quam Terrae inflixit inflicturus est Deus He shall give Men rest from the Curse which God hath inflicted and intends further to inflict upon the Earth Hist Sacra Exot. ad A. M. 1053. Ver. 32. And Noah was Five hundred Years old See Verse 6. where I have said enough to shew it is not reasonable to think he had no Children 'till this Age of his Life And Noah begat Shem Ham and Japhet Here ends the Line of Adam before the Flood For tho' these Three were married it appears VII 13. before the Flood came yet they either had no Children or they did not live For they carried none with them into the Ark. It doth not follow that Shem was the Eldest of these Three because he is here and every where else in this Book mentioned first For I shall show plainly in its due place that Japhet was the Eldest X. 21. Scaliger indeed would have this a setled Rule that Hunc Ordinem Filii in Scriptura habent quem illis natura dedit That Children are placed in Scripture according to the Order which Nature hath given them But it is apparent from many Instances that the Scripture hath regard to their Dignity otherways and not to the Order of their Birth As Abraham is mentioned before Nahor and Haran merite excellentiae with respect to his Excellence as St. Austin speaks to which God raised him though he was not the Eldest Son of Terah Gen. XI 28. Thus Jacob is mentioned before Esau Mal. I. 1. and Isaac before Ishmael 1 Chron. I. 28. Thus Shem's Eminence in other respects placed him before Japhet to whom he was inferiour in the order of Nature As appears even from their Genealogy both in Gen. X. and 1 Chron. I. where Shem's posterity are placed below those of both his other Brothers CHAP. VI. Ver. 1. WHen Men began to multiply To increase exceeding fast for they were multiplied before but not so as to fill the Earth Or the Word Men may be limited to the Children of Cain See Verse 2. who now began to be very numerous And Daughters were born to them In great numbers For Daughters no doubt they had before but now so many more Daughters than Sons that they had not Matches for all No though we should suppose they followed the Steps of Lamech IV. 19. and took more Wives than one Ver. 2. The Sons of God There are two famous Interpretations of these Words besides that of some of the Ancients who took them for Angels Some understand by the Sons of God the great Men Nobles Rulers and Judges whether they were of the Family of Seth or of Cain And so indeed the word Elohim signifies in many places Exod. XXI 6. XXII 28. c. and the ancient Greek Version which Philo and St. Austin used perhaps meant no more where these words are translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Angels of God his great Ministers in this World who in after-times were mistaken for Angels in Heaven These great Persons were taken with the Beauty of the Daughters of Men i. e. of the meaner sort for so sometimes Men signifies Psal XLIX 2 c. and took by Force and Violence as many as they pleased being so potent as to be able to do any thing with impunity For they that should have given a good Example and punished Vice were the great promoters of it But there are other ancient Interpreters and most of the later who by the Sons of God understand the posterity of Seth who were the Worshippers of the true God IV. Vlt. They saw the Daughters of Men. Conversed with the Daughters of Cain So Tho. Aquinas himself interprets it Pars I. Q. 51. Art 3. ad 6. That they were Fair. Being exceedingly taken with their Beauty And they took them Wives Made Matches with them and perhaps took more than one apiece Of all that they chose Whomsoever they liked so the word chuse is used in many places Psal XXV 12 c. without regard to any thing else but their Beauty Some of the Hebrews by Daughters understand Virgins which they distinguish from Nasim Wives or married Women whom they also took and abused as they pleased But there is no evidence of this The plain Sence is that they who had hitherto kept themselves unless it were some few See Verse 15. unmingled with the posterity of Cain according to a Solemn charge which their godly Forefathers had given them were now joined to them in Marriage and made one People with them Which was the greater Crime if we can give any credit to what an Arabick Writer saith mentioned first by Mr. Selden in his Book de Diis Syris Cap. 3. prolegom de Jure N. G. L. V. Cap. 8. f. 578. that the Children of Seth had sworn by the Blood of Abel they would never leave the mountainous Countrey which they inhabited to
to preserve thee and all that are with thee in the Ark. For so the word Covenant is sometimes used And it is reasonable to think God made him such a Promise which is plainly enough implied in verse 8. Or otherwise we must understand this of the Covenant about the promised Seed III. 15. which he saith he will establish with him and consequently preserve him from perishing Thou thy Sons and thy Sons Wives with thee This Passage shows the Ark was not an hundred Years in building as some have imagined For none of these Sons were born an hundred Years before the Flood and we must allow some Years for their growth till they were fit to take Wives Compare V. 32. with VII 6. And if we observe how Sem though he had a Wife before the Flood yet had no Children for Arphaxad his first Child was not born till two Years after the Flood XI 10. it will incline us to think that Noah received the Command for building the Ark not long before the Flood came Ver. 19. Two of every sort i. e. Of unclean Beasts as it is explained VII 2. They shall be Male and Female To preserve the Species Lucian in his Book of the Syrian Goddess where he describes the Flood saith all Creatures went into the Ark 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by pairs Ver. 20. Of Fowls after their kind c. In such Numbers as is directed afterward VII 3. Which seems to some to be so very great there being many sorts of living Creatures that they could not possibly be crowded into the Ark together with Food sufficient for them But such Persons never distinctly considered such things as these First That all those which could live in the Water are excepted And so can several Creatures besides Fishes Secondly That of the Species of Beasts including also Serpents there are not certainly known and described above an hundred and fifty as Mr. Ray hath observed and the Number of Birds about five hundred Thirdly That there are but a few Species of very vast Creatures such as Elephants Horses c. And Fourthly That Birds are generally of so small a bulk that they take up but a little room And Fifthly That if we suppose creeping Insects ought to be included they take up less though very numerous And Lastly That less Provision would serve them all when they were shut up close and did not spend themselves by Motion and besides were in a continual confused Agitation which pall'd their Appetites From all which and many more Considerations it is easie to demonstrate there was more than room enough for all sorts of Creatures that God commanded to be brought into the Ark And for their Food during the time they stayed in it Two of every sort shall come unto thee c. In the foregoing Verse he had said Two of every sort shalt thou bring into the Ark. Which he might think impossible for by what means should he get them all together Therefore here it is explained in these words they shall come unto thee by the Care of God who made them and moved them to it R. Elieser c. 23. of his Pirke is commonly censured for saying The Angels that govern every Species of Creatures brought them thither But setting aside the Opinion of Angels peculiarly presiding over every kind of Creature I see no incongruity in affirming that God by the Ministry of his Angels brought them to the Ark But it is rather agreeable to the Holy Scriptures which represent the Divine Majesty as employing their Service in all Affairs here below Ver. 21. Take unto thee of all Food that is eaten c. Either by Man or Beast Food suitable to every Creature Among which though there be many that feed on Flesh yet other Food as several Histories testifie will go down with them when they are accustom'd to it See Philostratus L. V. c. 15. Tzetzes Chil. V. Hist 9. Sulpit. Severus De Monacho Thebaid Dial. I. c. 7. Ver. 22. Thus did Noah according to all that God commanded him c. i. e. He made the Ark of such Dimensions and laid up Provisions for all Creatures as he was directed This he did when the hundred and twenty Years drew towards an end See Ver. 18. CHAP. VII Ver. 1. COme thou and all thy House into the Ark. When the time of God's Patience was expired he required him to enter into the Ark which he had prepared and unto which all sorts of Creatures were gathered For I have seen thee c. I have observed thee sincerely Obedient when all the rest of the World were impious Ver. 2. Of every clean Beast c. The distinction of Beasts clean and unclean being made by the Law of Moses hath given some a colour to say that he wrote this Book after they came out of Egypt and received the Law Which made him speak in that Style But it may be answered to this That though with respect to Mens Food the distinction of clean and unclean Creatures was not before the Law yet some were accounted fit for Sacrifice and others not fit from the beginning And then clean Beasts in this place are such as are not rapacious which were not to be offered unto God In short the rite of Sacrificing being before the Flood this difference of Beasts was also before it The only Question is How Men came to make this difference Some imagine That they considered the Nature of Beasts and by common Reason determined that ravenous Creatures were unfit for Sacrifice But it is more likely that they had Directions from God for this as they had for Sacrificing Which though they be not recorded yet I think are rather to be supposed than imagine Men were left in such Matters to their own Discretion Abarbinel indeed here says That Noah out of his profound Wisdom discerned clean from unclean And if he had stop'd here and not added That he discerned the difference from their Natures he had said the truth For he being a Prophet may be thought to have had Instructions from above about such Matters though others who first were taught to sacrifice had them before him By sevens Seven couple it is most probable that they might have sufficient for Sacrifice when they came out of the Ark and if need were for Food if other Provision did not hold out At least for Food after the Flood when God inlarged their former Grant IX 3. Ver. 4. For yet seven Days c. So much time he gave him for the disposing himself and all things else in the Ark. Ver. 5. And Noah did according unto all that the LORD commanded him He had said the same before VI. 22. with respect to the preparation of the Ark and provision of Food And now repeats here again with respect to his entring into it himself with all other Creatures For so it follows verse 7 8 c. Ver. 6. Noah was six hundred years old c. Current as we speak
the Dove would stay the Earth it is likely remaining very chill Ver. 12. And he staid yet other seven Days See Verse 10. The Observation there being confirm'd by what is repeated here Returned not again to him any more There wanting neither Food nor a Nest wherein to repose it self By which Noah understood the Earth was not only dry and fit to be inhabited But that it was not quite spoiled by the Flood but would afford Food for all Creatures Ver. 13. Noah removed the covering of the Ark. Some of the Boards on the top For he could see further by looking out there than if he look'd out at the Door or the Window which gave him a prospect but one way The face of the Ground was dry Quite freed from Water but yet so soft and muddy that it was not fit to be inhabited As appears by his staying still almost two Months more before he thought fit to go out So the following Verse tells us Ver. 14. In the second Month c. If their Months were such as ours twelve of which make Three hundred sixty five Days then Noah staid in the Ark a whole Year and ten Days as appears by comparing this Verse with VII 11. But if they were Lunar Months which is most probable then he was in the Ark just one of our Years Going out on the Three hundred and sixty fifth Day after his entrance into it Was the Earth dried Perfectly dried so that no moisture remained and Grass it is likely was sprung up for the Cattle It need not seem a wonder that Moses gives so punctual and particular an Account of this whole matter and of all that follows for he lived within Eight hundred Years of the Flood And therefore might very well know what had been done within that Period and easily tell how the World was peopled by the Posterity of Noah Which could not but be fresh in memory when Men lived so long that not much above three Generations had passed from the Flood to Moses For Shem who saw the Flood was contemporary with Abraham as he was with Jacob whose great Grand-Child was the Father of Moses Ver. 16. Go forth out of the Ark. Though he saw the Earth was fit to be inhabited yet he waited for God's Order to go out of the Ark as he had it for his entring into it Thou and thy Wife c. I do not think the Observation of some of the Jews is absurd who by comparing this Verse with VII 13. make this Collection That while they were in the Ark the Men did not cohabit with their Wives it being a time of great Affliction And therefore they kept asunder in separate Apartments So R. Elieser in his Pirke Cap. XXIII where R. Levitas thus gathers it When they went into the Ark it is said VII 13. Noah and his Sons entred and then Noah's Wife and his Sons Wives Behold saith he here the Men are put together and the Women together But when they come out it is here said Go forth thou and thy Wife and thy Sons and thy Sons Wives with thee lo here they are coupled together as before they were separated And so we find them again verse 18. where it is said Noah went forth and his Wife c. Ver. 17. Bring forth every living Creature c. that they may breed c. One would think by this that no Creature bred in the Ark no more than Men But now are sent forth to breed and multiply in the Earth Ver. 20. And Noah built an Altar to the LORD We never read of any built before this time Though we may reasonably conclude there was an Altar upon which Cain and Abel offered in the place appointed for Divine Worship Offered burnt-offerings He restores the ancient Rite of Divine Service which his Sons and their Posterity followed Some think these Burnt-Offerings had something in them of the Nature of a Propitiatory Sacrifice as well as Eucharistical which they certainly were for their Deliverance from the Flood Their Reason is taken from what follows Ver. 21. The LORD smelled a sweet savour That is as Munster understands it he ceased from his Anger and was appeased So the Syriack also and Josephus L. I. Antiq. c. 4. But it may signifie no more but that his Thankfulness was as grateful to God as sweet Odors are to us And the LORD said in his Heart He determined or resolved in himself The Vulgar understands this as if the LORD spake comfortably to Noah which in the Hebrew Phrase is speaking to ones Heart and said I will not again curse the Ground any more i. e. After this manner with a Deluge For the imagination of Man's Heart is evil from his Youth Such a proclivity there is in Men to evil that if I should scourge them thus as often as they deserve there would be no end of Deluges But the Words may have a quite different sence being connected with what went before in this manner I will not curse the Ground any more for Man's sake tho' he be so very evilly disposed c. Those Words from his Youth signify a long radicated corruption as appears from many places Isa XLVII 12 15. Jerem. III. 25. Ezek. XXIII 8 c. Sol. Jarchi extends it so far as to signifie from his Mother 's Womb. Ver. 22. While the Earth remaineth While Men shall inhabit the Earth Seed-time and Harvest c. There shall not be such a Year as this last has been In which there was neither Sowing nor Reaping nor any distinctions of Seasons 'till the Rain was done Day and Night shall not cease One would think by this expression that the Day did not much differ from Night while the Heavens were covered with thick Clouds which fell in dismal Floods of Rain CHAP. IX Ver. 1. AND God blessed Noah and his Sons c. The Divine Majesty appeared now to Noah and his Sons to assure them of his Favour and Protection and to renew the blessing bestowed upon Adam as after a new Creation saying Increase and Multiply Ver. 2. The fear of you c. He seems also to confirm to them the Dominion which God gave to Adam at first over all Creatures I. 26. Ver. 3. Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you c. Here the first Grant made to Mankind concerning Food is enlarged as St. Basil observes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first Legislation granted to them the use of Fruits but now of all living Creatures which they are as freely permitted to eat of as formerly of all the Fruits of the Garden For God seeing Men to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contumacious as Greg. Nyss expresses it Tom. I. p. 157. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He conceded to them the enjoyment of all things This is the general fence of the Jews and of the Christian Fathers and of the first Reformers of Religion They that would have this only a renewal of such an old Charter
a division of the Earth among his Posterity for it was a deliberate business as I noted upon X. 5. these People had no mind to submit unto it and therefore built this Fortress to defend themselves in their Resolution of not yielding to his design Thus the most learned Vsher ad A. M. 1757. But what they dreaded they brought upon themselves by their own vain attempt to avoid it And now there is no memory preserved of the Names of those that conspired in this attempt Thus what Solomon saith was long before verified Prov. X. 24. The fear of the Wicked shall come upon him But this evil by God's providence was attended with a great Good For by this dispersion the whole Earth was peopled and the foundation laid of several great Nations and Kingdoms Ver. 5. And the LORD came down to see c. This is an accommodation to our conceptions and means no more but that by the Effects he made it appear that he observed their Motions and knew their Intentions Which the Children of Men builded It is generally agreed that Children of Men in Scripture is opposed to Children of God As bad Men and Infidels are to the good and the Faithful Which gives us to understand that neither Noah nor Shem nor Arphaxad Salah or Heber were engaged in this Work But some of the worser sort of People who degenerated from the Piety of their Ancestors It is probable some of the Race of Ham who it's likely carried much of the Spirit of Cain with him into the Ark Otherwise he could not have behaved himself so vilely towards his Father after they came out of it For that terrible Judgment it seems had not reformed him and then it is no wonder if he grew more wicked after it was over Josephus and others take Nimrod his Grandchild to have been the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as his Word is Ring-leader of this Crew who combined in this design But I take it to be more probable that he came and setled here after the Dispersion For there being not much above an Hundred Years between the Flood and this time it is not likely such a great Kingdom could be erected in that space as we read of Gen. X. 10. And therefore he grew so great after this Dispersion when he came out of Arabia or some neighbouring Country and setled here in Babel Which was called by this Name upon occasion of the Confusion of Languages and had it not before Which is an Argument that what we read X. 10 11. must be understood to have hapned after this time But if all this be true that some of Cham's Race began this design which other bad People were too much disposed to follow and that they who retained the true Religion from whom Abraham descended were not of the number it is credible that they escaped the punishment here mentioned in the next Verses retaining still their ancient Seat and the ancient Language also which continued in the Family of Heber and was called Hebrew Ver. 6. And the LORD said c. This Verse only expresses a Resolution to spoil their Project and the necessity of so doing Ver. 7. Let us The Rabbins fansie this is spoken to the Angels But it is beyond the Angelical Power to alter Mens Minds so in a moment that they shall not be able to understand what they did before Therefore God spake to himself And this Phrase suggests to us more Persons than One in the Godhead In short none but He who taught Men at first to speak could in an Instant make that variety of Speech which is described in the next Words Novatianus therefore anciently took it that this was spoken by God to his Son Confound their Language The Word Confound is to be mark'd For God did not make every one speak a new different Language but they had such a confused remembrance of the Original Language which they spake before as made them speak it very differently So that by the various Inflections and Terminations and Pronunciations of divers Dialects they could no more understand one another than they who understand Latin can understand those who speak French Italian or Spanish though these Languages arise out of it And yet it is not to be thought there were as many several Dialects as there were Men so that none of them understood another For this would not meerly have dispersed Mankind but destroyed them It being impossible to live without Society or to have Society without understanding one another For if the Father could not have understood the Son nor the Husband his Wife there could have been no comfort in living together Therefore it is likely that every Family had its peculiar Dialect or rather the same common Dialect or way of speaking was given to those Families whom God would have to make one Colony in the following Dispersion Unto which Dispersion they were constrained by their not being able to have such familiarity as they had before with every body but only with those who understood their particular Speech Into how many Languages they were divided none can determine The Hebrews fansie into LXX which Opinion hath much prevailed Being grounded upon the foregoing Chapter where the Descendants from the Sons of Noah are just so many The Greek Fathers make them LXXII because the Greek Version adds two more Elisa among the Sons of Japhet and Cainan among the Sons of Shem and the Latin Fathers follow them But this is a very weak Foundation it being apparent that many of the Sons of Canaan used the very same Language in their Country and so did Javan and Elishah in Greece And in other places so many concurred in the Use of the same Speech that scarce Thirty remains of the Seventy to be distinct as Bochart hath observed See Selden L. II. de Synedr cap. 9. Sect. III. Ver. 8. So the LORD scattered them Broke their combination by making them speak several Languages which cut off the common bond of one Society For as the Vnity of one common Language to use the Words of Mr. Mede p. 362. had knit all Mankind into one community So God in his Wisdom saw that plurality of Languages was the best means to force them into a plurality of Societies Abroad from thence Into all the Regions of the North South and West The East being inhabited before by Noah and such of his Offspring as abode with him Which is not to be understood as if they were immediately scattered into the remotest places from Babel But first into the neighbouring Countries and by degrees into those which were further off according as their Families increased How long this Dispersion hapned after the Flood cannot be certainly determined But we can demonstrate it was not much above 100 Years For Peleg in whose days this came to pass X. 25. was born but an Hundred and one Years after As was observed before upon that place Now some think this division was made
perhaps the Jews gathered he was a Man of Authority among them Ver. 7. Do not so wickedly As to break the Rights of Hospitality and violate the Laws of Nature Ver. 8. Behold now I have two Daughters c. This must be understood to have been spoken in a great perturbation and perplexity of Mind and out of a vehement Desire to preserve the Men whom he had entertained Which made him say he had rather they should abuse his own Daughters than those Strangers For therefore came they under the shadow of my roof He pleads the Laws of Hospitality which obliged him to protect them though he himself suffered by it Ver. 9. And they said Stand back Give way to us This one fellow c. Here is one and he but a Sojourner who takes upon him to be a Censor Morum and controll the whole City This shows he was no Judge Now will we deal worse with thee c. Abuse thee more than them For it is the same word with verse 7. doing wickedly Ver. 11. Smote the Men with blindness Not with a total Blindness for then they would not have sought for the Door of Lot's House but rather have groped for the way home but such a Dimness that they could not see any thing distinctly or in its right place But there seemed to be a Door suppose where there was none Or there was such a Confusion in their Brain that all things were turned topsie turvy as we speak in their imagination and appeared quite otherwise than they were Ver. 12. Son-in-law and thy Sons and thy Daughters Here the Copulative and must be expounded or As it is used in many places XIII 8. Let there be no strife between me and thee or between my herds-men and thine And so we translate it Exod. XII 5. Thou shalt take it out of the Sheep or out of the Goats And Exod. XXI 15. He that smiteth his Father or his Mother shall be put to death And so it should be translated here Hast thou any here besides Son-in-law or thy Sons or thy Daughters As much as to say we are desirous to save all that are nearly related to thee for thy sake Ver. 14. Which married his Daughters Had espoused them for their Wives but had not yet consummated the Marriage as some understand it Others will have it that besides those two Virgin Daughters at home with him he had other Daughters who were actually married in the City Which they gather from the next Verse take thy Wife and two Daughters which are here As if he had more Daughters elsewhere And R. Jehuda in Pirke Elieser c. 25. names one of them married to one of the great Men of Sodom and calls her Pelothit But this seems rather to have been the Name of one of them who were saved by the Angels and thence so called For it signifies delivered or snatch'd from destruction He seemed as one that mocked Who was not in earnest but only made sport with them and spake in jest For it is the same word from whence Isaac is derived which signifies Laughter Ver. 15. And when the morning arose At break of Day For the Sun did not rise till Lot was got into Zoar verse 23. Take thy Wife and thy two Daughters which are here These last words which are here are not without Emphasis And are paraphrased thus by the Chaldee Interpreter which are found faithful with thee Are not corrupted by the common Wickedness of this place or that believe what we threaten Ver. 16. While he lingred Being loth to leave his Goods or his Sons-in-law and Children Or as some think praying God to spare the City The Men laid hold upon his hand c. One of the Angels laid hold upon him and his Wife and the other upon his two Daughters Whom they pulled out of the House with some kind of constraint and led them out of the City Ver. 17. He said That Angel who had a peculiar Charge of preserving Lot and his Family See XVIII 2. Escape for thy life Make haste if thou lovest thy Life Look not behind thee To see what becomes of thy Goods or as if thou wast loth to leave Sodom Make no delay no not so much as to turn about and look back Neither stay thou in the Plain Do not rest till thou hast got out of the Plain For every Place in it is to be destroyed Ver. 18. And he said unto them c. Both the Angels were still with him But he seems particularly to speak to him that led him and his Wife out of Sodom who had spoken before to him and bid him make haste verse 17. But there are those Franzius for instance who would have the word Adonai translated not my Lord but my Lords as if he spake to both Ver. 19. I cannot escape to the Mountain c. He that lingered before verse 16. now thought he could not make haste enough Either being crazy or tired with sitting up all Night or fearing the destruction would overtake him before he could reach the Mountain and desiring perhaps to have a better dwelling than that Ver. 20. My Soul shall live Rejoyce and be exceeding thankful Ver. 21. See I have accepted thee Granted thy Request I will not overthrow c. A wonderful instance of the Divine Clemency Which in the midst of Wrath remembred Mercy Ver. 22. Haste thee Make no more delaies No not to make any further Petitions I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither Having made thee this Promise I must deferr the Vengeance till thou art safe there Called Zoar. In after-times it had this Name from the smalness of it which he twice mentions verse 20. Ver. 24. The LORD rained from the LORD It cannot be denied that here is an intimation of a Plurality of Persons in the Deity Yet there are many both ancient and modern Interpreters who think the meaning is no more than the LORD sent this Rain from himself it being the manner of the Scripture Phrase to repeat the Noun instead of the Pronoun as Grammarians speak of which Cocceius upon the Gemara of the Sanhedrim C. IV. gives these Instances Gen. II. 20. 1 Sam. XII 11. Zech. I. 16. And there are others which come nearer to these words Exod. XXIV and he i. e. the LORD verse 3. said unto Moses Come up unto the LORD Hos I. 7. I will save them by the LORD their God Zech. X. 12. I will strenghen them in the LORD c. The Council of Sirmium indeed anathematizes those who thus interpret these words and do not say the Son rained from the Father Socrat. L. II. c. 30. Yet St. Chrysostom did not fear to say this is an Idiom of the Scripture-Language which intended only to show 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the LORD brought this Punishment upon them Others also have observed that the Scripture-Phrase being very concise by the LORD in the beginning of the Verse may be meant the Angel
Number in their termination which in signification are singular with which it is usual to joyn a Verb of the Plural Number because of the Plural termination of the Noun A plain Example of which we have Gen. IV. 6. Why is thy Countenance in the Hebrew Faces faln The like he observes in the Syriack Language John I. 4. The life in the Syriack lifes was the light of Men. Ver. 16. I have given thy Brother a thousand pieces of Silver The word pieces is not in the Hebrew But by Ceseph Silver all in a manner understand Shekels For anciently there were no Shekels of Gold or Brass but only of Silver Yet there are those who think he did not give him thus much in Money but in the Goods before-mentioned verse 14. which were worth a thousand Shekels See XXIII 16. He is unto thee a covering of the Eyes c. These words are very variously expounded according as the first word hu is interpreted Which may relate either to the Gift before-mentioned and be translated this or to Abraham and be translated he as it is by us If they referr to the former then the Sence is I have given him that summ of money to buy thee a veil that all who converse with thee here or in any other Country where thou shalt come may know thee to be a married Woman For a Veil was worn in Token of subjection to the Power of the Husband and that thereby their Chastity might be preserved safe from the Snares of others As G. Vorstius observes upon Pirke Elieser cap. XXXII Or as others interpret it This money will be a covering to thine Eyes that is a defence to thy Modesty it being a testimony that Abimelech paid dear for taking thee into his house If they referr to Abraham then the meaning is Thou needest no other defence of thy Modesty and Chastity than he nor hast any reason to say hereafter he is thy Brother for he is so dear to God that God will defend him and he will defend thee without such shifts as this thou hast used Nay not only thee but all that are with thee and that even against strangers I omit other interpretations And referr the Reader to L. de Dieu Thus she was reproved Or instructed as some translate it not to dissemble her Condition Or this was the Reprehension he gave her for saying Abraham was her Brother Ver. 17. So Abraham prayed unto God c. Beseeched God to restore them all to their Health now that his Wife was restored to him verse 14. Ver. 18. For the LORD had fast closed up c. By such swellings some understand it in the Secret Parts that the Men could neither enjoy their Wives nor the Women who were with Child be delivered CHAP. XXI Ver. 1. AND the LORD visited Sarah c. Bestowed upon her the Blessing he had promised her i. e. made her conceive For so the word visit signifies either in a bad Sence to inflict Punishment Exod. XX. 5. or in a good Sence to conferr Blessings as here and Exod. III. 16. and many other places And he did unto her as he had spoken Performed his Promise by making her bring forth a Child For so it is explained in the next Verse Sarah conceived and bare Abraham a Son Ver. 2. Sarah conceived c. God not only made her Womb fruitful but brought the Fruit of it to perfection and then brought it into the World At the set time of which God had spoken to him XVIII 14. It is not said where Isaac was born For we are not told here whether Abraham departed from Gerar into any other part of this Country as Abimelech kindly offered and gave him liberty to do XX. 15. But it appearing by the latter end of this Chapter that he continued a long time in Abimelech's Country though not at Gerar it is probable Isaac was born at Beersheba verse 31. Ver. 6. God hath made me to laugh i. e. To rejoyce exceedingly So that all that hear will laugh with me All my Friends and Neighbours will congratulate my Happiness and rejoyce with me Ver. 7. Give Children suck It is usual to put the Plural Number for the Singular as was observed before XIX 29. Or she hoped perhaps to have more Children after this And her giving him suck was a certain proof that she had brought him forth of her own Womb and that he was not a supposititious Child as Menochius well observes Others note That the greatest Persons in those ancient Days suckled their own Children Which Favorinus a Greek Philosopher pressed as a Duty upon a Noble Woman by many strong Arguments Which are recorded by A. Gellius who was present at his discourse L. XII Noct. Attic. cap. 1. Ver. 8. The Child grew and was weaned At the Age of five Years old as St. Hierom reports the Opinion of some of the Hebrews Made a great Feast the same Day Rather now than at his Nativity because there was greater hope of life when he was grown so strong as to be taken from his Mother's Breast Ver. 9. Sarah saw the Son of Hagar c. mocking He laugh'd and jeared perhaps at the great bustle which was made at Isaac's weaning Looking upon himself as the First-born and by the right of that to have the privilege of fulfilling the Promise of the Messiah This gives a good account of Sarah's earnestness for the expulsion not only of him but of his Mother also who it 's likely flattered and bare him up in those Pretensions Many think he did more than mock him because St. Paul calls it persecution Gal. IV. 29. which St. Hierom takes for beating Isaac Who perhaps resenting his Flouts might say something that provoked Ishmael to strike him And it is very probable his Mother incouraged him to this or maintained him in his Insolence Which was the reason Sarah pressed to have them both turned out of doors Some think he jested upon his Name and made it a matter of Merriment For so the word is used XIX 14. Ver. 10. Cast out c. Let them not dwell here any longer nor continue a part of thy Family Shall not be Heir c. She judged by what she had seen of his fierce and violent Spirit that it would not be safe for her Son to let Ishmael have any share in his Father's Inheritance For she was afraid he would make himself Master of all Ver. 11. Grievous because of his Son His Wife is not here mentioned because his principal Concern was for his Son But it appears by the next Verse he had some Consideration of her also Ver. 12. God said unto Abraham c. By this he was satisfied that Sarah's Motion proceeded not merely from her Anger but from a Divine Incitation For in Isaac shall thy Seed be called Here the Blessing promised to Abraham's Seed XVII 7 8. is limited to the Posterity of Isaac And the meaning of the Phrase is they that
when his Wife died And several of the Jews have a Conceit that he came from Mount Moriah which is confuted by what we read XXII 19. where Sarah hearing he was gone to sacrifice her Son died with Grief But Maimonides speaks better Sence when he says Abraham came from his own Tent which was separate as I noted before XVIII 9. from his Wife 's As appears further from XXIV 67. To mourn for Sarah and to weep for her The first relates to Private Sorrow The other to the Publick especially at the Funeral Solemnities when they made great Lamentation After Abraham had performed the former he made preparations for the latter But what the Rites of Mourning were in those days we do not know It 's likely they shut themselves up from Company neglected the Care of their Bodies abstained from their ordinary Food Which with many others were the Customs of Abraham's Posterity who made it a part of their Religion to mourn for the dead Ver. 3. And Abraham stood up from before his dead By this it seems to be apparent that in Abraham's time they sat upon the Ground while they mourned as it is certain they did in future Ages In which Posture they continued till they had satisfied natural Affection and the decent Custom of the Age and Country where they lived Then they rose up as Abraham here did to take care of the Interment of his Wife Seven Days in after Ages were the common time of Mourning And for Illustrious Persons they mourned thirty Days Spake unto the Sons of Heth. In whose Country he now lived Concerning whom see X. 15. By the Sons are meant the Principal Persons of that Nation Ver. 4. I am a stranger and a sojourner with you Though I am not a Native of your Country yet I have lived long enough among you to be known to you Give me possession of a burying place c. I do not desire any large Possessions among you being but a Sojourner let me only have a Place which I may call my own wherein to bury those of my Family which die Ver. 5. And the Children or Sons of Heth answered c. By one of their Body who spake in the Name of the rest As appears by the first words of the next Verse Hear us my Lord In which form they were wont to address themselves to great Men verse 11 13 15 16. Ver. 6. Thou art a mighty Prince We have a great Honour for thee In the choice of our Sepulchres c. Make choice of any one Sepulchre and no Body will deny to let thee have it Every Family at least great ones had their proper place for Burial Which I suppose were sometime so large that they might spare others a part of them or of the Ground wherein they were made Ver. 7. Abraham stood up It seems they had desired him to sit down among them while they treated this business Which when they had granted he stood up to thank them And bowed himself The Hebrew word signifies the bowing of the Body And there are other words in that Language proper to the bowing of the Head or of the Knee Ver. 8. Intreat for me to Ephron c. He desires them to mediate between him and this Man who perhaps was not then present in the Assembly for a Purchase of a convenient Place in his Ground Ver. 9. Cave of Machpelah We take this word Machpelah for a proper Name as many others do But the Talmudists generally think it to have been speluncam duplicem as the Vulgar Latin also with the LXX understand it a double Cave Yet they cannot agree in what Sence it was so whether they went through one Cave into another or there was one above another For that by a Cave is meant a Vault arched over with Stones or Wood which the Ancients called Cryptae no Body doubts Salmasius hath described them in his Plin. Exercit. p. 1208. where he says this Cave is said to have been double in the same Sence that the Greeks called theirs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they had a double Entrance so that one might go into them at both Ends as Hesychius expounds it Which shows as he adds it was a large Place and would contain many Bodies And of this he is so confident as to say Non quaerenda est alia duplicis speluncae interpretatio No other Interpretation of this double Sepulchre ought to be sought after But learned Men will not hearken to such Dictates and particularly Theodorick Hackspan maintains Machpelah to be a proper Name as we take it by these two Reasons First Because the Field it self wherein this Cave was is called the Field of Machpelah verse 19. Which doth not signifie sure that there was a double Gate to this Field but that it was in that Tract of Ground called Machpelah And Secondly This Field in Machpelah is said to be before Mamre verse 17. Which plainly denotes it to be a Place so called Miscell Lib. I. cap. 10. For which last Reason Guil. Vorstius also takes it to have been the Name of a Country or Province in which this Field and Cave lay Animadv in Pirke Elieser p. 179. Which is in the end of his Field Burying-Places were not anciently in the Cities much less in their Temples but in the Fields in Caves or Vaults made to hold a good Number of Bodies And so they continued it's manifest in our Saviour's Time among the Jews as appears by Lazarus his Monument John XI 30 31. and by the Burying-places for strangers Matth. XXVII 7. and their carrying the Widows Son out of the City Luke VII 12 c. This seems to have been in the Corner of the Field before mentioned which perhaps was near the High-way For there they sometimes affected to bury their dead as appears from Gen. XXXV 8 19. Josh XXIV 30. Ver. 10. And Ephron dwelt The Hebrew word for dwelt signifies literally sat Which hath made some think that Ephron was a great Man a Ruler or Governor among the Children of Heth Who sat as a Prince or Judge in this Assembly And that this was the reason why Abraham Verse 8. addressed himself to others of the same Rank that they would make way for him into his Favour In the audience of the Children of Heth c. It is judiciously observed by Cornel. Bertram that all weighty Matters in those Days were determined by the King if they had any or the Elders with the Consent of the People De Repub. Judaic cap. 3. Marriages were a Matter of Publick Right XXIX 22. as Sepulchres were it appears by this place Both of them being held to belong to Religion Ver. 11. In the presence of the Sons of my People c. Contracts or Grants were wont to be made before all the People or their Representatives till Writings were invented Ver. 12. Abraham bowed c. Because by their Intercession this Favour was granted him Ver. 13. I will give thee
Hebrews look upon this as Mr. Selden observes in the place before-named on verse 55. as an Example of the solemn Benediction which was wont to be given even before the Law of Moses when the Spouse was carried to her Husband Thou art our Sister Near Cousin or Kinswoman For all that were near of Kin called one another Brothers and Sisters Ver. 61. Her Damsels Who waited upon her and were given as part of her Portion Ver. 62. Well of Lahai-roi Mentioned XVI 14. By which it appears that Abraham after the death of Sarah returned to live at Beer-sheba or thereabouts for that was nigh this Well And it is probable Abraham and Isaac were not parted Ver. 63. To meditate c. The cool of the Evening and Solitude are great Friends to Meditation Ver. 64. She lighted off the Camel As they always did who met any Person whom they honoured Ver. 65. Took a Veil Not only out of Modesty but in Token of her Subjection to him Many will have this to have been a peculiar Ornament belonging to a Bride called by the Romans Flameum by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Mr. Selden observes L. V. de Jure N. G. cap. 5. Whence those words of Tertullian de Veland Virgin c. II. Etiam apud Ethnicos velatae i. e. sponsae ad virum ducuntur Even among Heathens Brides are brought to their Husbands with a Veil over their Faces Ver. 66. And the Servant told Isaac all things that he had done How she had consented to be his Wife Ver. 67. Brought her into his Mother Sarah's Tent. That Apartment wherein his Mother dwelt Which was distinct from that of the Husband 's And Isaac was comforted after the death of his Mother The Love he had to his Wife helpt to alleviate the Sorrow he had conceived at his Mother's death Which was so great that now it had continued three Years Such was the pious Affection Children had for their Parents in ancient Days Isaac was forty Years old when he married Rebekah XXV 20. and if we can believe the Jews in Seder Olam she was but fourteen CHAP. XXV Ver. 1. THEN again Abraham took a Wife Sarah being dead and Agar long ago sent away and his Son Isaac lately married he wanted a Companion in his old Age. For having given up Sarah's Tent unto Rebekah XXIV ult it is probable he gave up his own to Isaac and so dwelt in a Tent by himself where he found it necessary to have a Wife to look after his Family And her Name was Keturah We are not told what Family she was of But it is not unlikely she had been born and bred in his own House as Elieser his Steward was and perhaps was Chief among the Women as he among the Men-Servants Many of the Jews will have her to be Hagar whom Sarah who was the cause of her expulsion being dead he now received again So the Hierusalem Paraphrase and Jonathan also But Aben Ezra confutes this Opinion with good reason for no account can be given of Abraham's having more Concubines than one verse 6. unless we make Keturah distinct from Hagar Nor can any Body tell why he should call Hagar by the Name of Keturah here when he calls her by her own Name verse 12. Ver. 2. And she bare him He was now an hundred and forty Years old But so vigorous as to beget many Children Which need not seem strange considering the Age to which they then lived for he lived thirty and five Years after this Marriage verse 7. and that now in our time Men have had Children after they have been seventy nay eighty Years of Age. To the Truth also of this History we have the Testimony of Pagan Writers For Alexander Polyhistor mentioned by Josephus and by Eusebius L. IX Praepar Evang. cap. 20. tells us that Cleodemus called by some Malchas writing the History of the Jews reports just as Moses doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Abraham had a good many Children by Keturah Three of which he mentions by Name Zimran This Son of his with all the rest of his Brethren were sent by Abraham into the East Country as we read verse 6. and therefore we must seek for them in those Parts viz. in Arabia and the Countries thereabout where some footsteps of them have remained for many Ages particularly of Zimran from whom we may well think the Zamareni were descended a People mentioned by Pliny with their Towns in Arabia Foelix L. VI. cap. 28. And Jokshan Concerning whom I can find nothing but only this That Theophanes a Chronographer in the beginning of the IX Century after he hath treated of the Ishmaelites and Madianites the latter of which came from one of Keturah's Children and the Parts of Arabia where Mahomet was born immediately adds that there were other People 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more in the Bowels of Arabia descended from Jectan called Amanitae that is Homeritae Perhaps it should be written Jokshan not Jectan For Philostorgius expresly says of the Homerites 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. That they are one of the Nations descended from Keturah and Abraham L. III. Hist Eccles § 4. where he relates a famous Embassie which Constantius sent to them to win them to Christianity and the good success of it And there is this strong proof of their descent from some of Abraham's Family that they retained the Rite of Circumcision even when they were Idolaters For he says expresly That it was a circumcised Nation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and circumcised also on the eighth Day Which was not the Custom of all the Arabians if we may believe Josephus L. I. Antiq. c. 23. and Eustathius in Hexaemeron c. who say the Arabians staid till they were thirteen Years old before they were circumcised Medan From whom the Country called Madiania in the Southern part of Arabia Foelix it 's likely had its Name Midian From whom Midianitis in Arabia Petraea had its Denomination And Ishbak I can find no footsteps of his Posterity unless it be in Bacascami which Pliny says was one of the Towns of the Zamareni who descended from his eldest Brother Zimran There were a People also hard by called Bachilitae as he tells us L. VI. Nat. Hist cap. 28. And Shuah Perhaps he had no Children or so few that they were mixt with some of their other Brethren and left no Name behind them Yet Pliny in the next Chapter mentions a Town called Suasa in that part of Arabia which is next to Egypt L. VI. cap. 29. Ver. 3. And Jokshan begat Sheba I observed before upon X. 7. that there are four of this Name or near it all comprehended by the Greek and Roman Writers under the Name of Sabaeans One of them the Son of Raamah had a Brother called Dedan as this Sheba here hath But they were the Fathers of a distinct People as is evident from the Scripture-Story and from other Authors For besides the
Sabaei in the furthermost parts of Arabia near the Persian and the Red-Sea there were also a People of that Name descended it is very probable from this Son of Jokshan in the very Entrance of Arabia Foelix as Strabo tells us Who says that they and the Nabataei were the very next People to Syria And were wont to make Excursions upon their Neighbours By which we may understand which otherwise could not be made out how the Sabaeans broke into Job's Country and carried away his Cattle For it is not credible they could come so far as from the Persian or Arabian Sea But from this Country there was an easie Passage through the Desarts of Arabia into the Land of Vz or Ausitis which lay upon the Borders of Euphrates See Bochart in his Phaleg L. IV. cap. 9. And Dedan There was one of this Name as I said before the Son of Rhegma Gen. X. 7. who gave Name to a City upon the Persian Sea now called Dadan But besides that there was an Inland City called Dedan in the Country of Idumaea mentioned by Jeremiah XXV 23. XLIX 8. whose Inhabitants are called Dedanim Isai XXI 13. And this Dedan here mentioned may well be thought to be the Founder of it as the same Bochart observes L. IV. cap. 6. And the Sons of Dedan were Ashurim and Letushim and Leummim If these were Heads of Nations or Families the memory of them is lost For it is a mistake of Cleodemus who mentions the first of these in Euseb Praepar Evang. L. IX c. 20. to derive the Assyrians from this Ashurim They having their Original from Ashur one of the Sons of Shem X. 22. Ver. 4. And the Sons of Midian Ephah The Name of Ephah the eldest Son of Midian continued a long time for these two are mentioned by Isaiah as near Neighbours LX. 6. And not only Josephus Eusebius and St. Hierom but the Nubiensian Geographer also tells us of a City called Madian in the Shoar of the Red-Sea Near to which was Ephah in the Province of Madian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epha or Hipha is the same with that Place the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Ptolomy mentions both a Mountain and a Village of this Name on the same Shoar a little below Madiane which is the Madian here mentioned as Bochart observes in his Hierozoic P. I. L. 2. cap. 3. And Epher I can find no remainders of his Family unless it be among the Homeritae before-mentioned whose Metropolis was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In which Theophilus sent by Constantius to convert that Country built a Church as Philostorgius relates L. III. Hist Eccles § 4. Which City is mentioned by many other Authors as Jacobus Gotofredus observes in his Dissertations upon Philostorgius Particularly by Arrianus in his Periplus of the Red-Sea where he calls the Metropolis of the Homeritae expresly by the Name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which one cannot well doubt came from this Epher And Hanoch In that part of Arabia Foelix where the Adranitae were seated there was a great trading Town called Cane as Ptolomy tells us and shows its distance from Alexandria 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 L. VIII Pliny also mentions a Country in Arabia which he calls Regio Canauna which may be thought to have taken its Name from this Person and his Posterity And Abidah The Relicks of this Name remain if the two last Syllables as is usual be inverted in the People called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who lived in an Island called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which lay between Arabia and India and is by Authors said to belong sometimes to the one and sometimes to the other Philostorgius saith only they bear the Name of Indians in the place before-named where he saith Theophilus who was sent to convert the Homerites was born here But Pliny reckoning up the Tracts of Arabia places the Isle called Devadae which I take to be this over against the fore-named Region called Canauna L. VI. cap. 28. And Strabo as Gothofred observes Agatharcides and others call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Eldaah I know not where to find any Remains of this Name unless it be in the City Elana which might easily be formed from Eldaah by leaving out the Daleth and turning the Ain into Nun than which nothing more common which was seated in the Sinus Arabicus toward the East called by others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aelana from whence the Sinus it self was called Elanites and the People that lived in it Elanitae as Salmasius shows out of many Authors Exercit. in Solinum p. 482. Ver. 5. Gave all he had to Isaac As he designed long before XXIV 36. Ver. 6. Sons of his Concubines Which were Hagar and Keturah Who were Wives but of an inferior sort according to the manner of those Times and Countries Keturah is expresly called his Concubine 1 Chron. I. 32. as she is above verse 1. of this Chapter called his Wife Which R. Bechai in Mr. Selden cap. 3 de Successionibus thus explains She was his Concubine because of a servile Condition but his Wife because married with Covenants to provide for her and her Children though they were not to heir his Estate The Talmudists indeed do not perfectly agree in this matter For though they all agree and prove it evidently that they were real Wives yet some say they were made so only by Solemn Espousals without any Marriage Settlement in Writing as the principal Wives had Others think they had a Writing also but not with such Conditions as the principal Wives enjoyed Abarbinel hath an accurate Discourse about this which Buxtorf hath translated into his Book de Sponsalibus n. 17. And see also Mr. Selden L. V. de Jure N. G. cap. 7. p. 570 c. and G. Sckickard de Jure Regio cap. 3. p. 70. Gave gifts Some Portion of his Money or moveable Goods Or perhaps of both Which in all probability he gave to Ishmael as well as to these Sons though it be not mentioned Gen. XXI 14. because Moses here saith he gave Gifts to the Sons of his Concubines of which Hagar was one Into the East Country Into Arabia and the adjacent Countries as was said before For the Midianites are called the Children of the East in Judg. VI. 3 33. VII 12. VIII 10. Ver. 7. These are the Days of the Years of Abraham c. This is spoken by anticipation to finish the Story of Abraham for Esau and Jacob were born before he died And were now fifteen Years old For Isaac was but sixty Years old when they were born verse 26. and seventy five when Abraham died Who was an hundred Years old at Isaac's birth and lived to the Age of one hundred seventy and five Ver. 8. Abraham gave up the ghost Died of no Disease but old Age. In a good old Age. Without Pain or Sickness Full of Years The Hebrew hath only the word full We add
blessed In this is contained the Promise of the Messiah the highest Blessing God could bestow Which he assured Abraham should spring out of his Family XXII 18. and now assures the same to Isaac Ver. 5. Because that Abraham obeyed my Voice In going out of his own Country when God called him in circumcising himself and his Family but especially XXII 18. in offering his Son Isaac And kept my charge i. e. Observed the Sabbath-Day says Menasseh Ben-Israel out of the Hebrew Doctors L. de Creat Problem VIII But it seems more rational to understand by this word which we translate charge all that he commanded him to observe The Particulars of which follow My Commandments my Statutes and my Laws These are nicely distinguished by some of the Jews especially Abarbinel Who by Commandments understands not only that of Circumcision but of expelling Ishmael And by Statutes Hebr. Chukkothai which always relates to Ceremonial things not only binding his Son Isaac to offer him in Sacrifice but his offering a Ram afterwards in his stead And by Laws which include the Judicial part of Moses his Writings his taking a Wife for Isaac out of another Country and bestowing Gifts upon the Children of his Concubines reserving the Land for Isaac But this may seem too curious And so many words may be thought rather to be used only to express his exact Obedience to God in every thing whether belonging to Religion or to Justice Mercy or any other Duty According to what he required of him XVII 1. Walk before me and be thou perfect Ver. 6. And Isaac dwelt in Gerar. This is a fresh Instance of his constant Obedience in trusting to God's Providence here and not going down into Egypt as he was inclined Ver. 7. She is my Sister Or Cousin for so she was He told part of the Truth but not all For he feared to say c. He imitated his Father as Children are apt to do Ver. 8. Sporting with Rebekah his Wife Using such familiarity with her and blandishments as were not allowable between Brethren and Sisters but common between Man and Wife even openly As embracing her in his Arms and kissing her perhaps very often He having an exceeding great love to her XXIV 67. Ver. 9. Of a surety she is thy Wife It seems he took Isaac to be so good a Man that he lookt upon the Liberties he took with Rebekah as tokens of conjugal Love not of incestuous Desires Ver. 10. Brought guiltiness upon us It is likely the Punishment inflicted upon his Father and Family XX. 17. only for taking Sarah into his House with an intention to make her his Wife was yet in memory among them Ver. 11. He that toucheth this Man or his Wife c. This looks like a modest word as it is used XX. 6. and 1 Cor. VII 1. But the Chaldee Paraphrast and the Hebrew Doctors interpret it of not doing them any injury Because he speaks of the Man as well as his Wife and so it is explained verse 29. Ver. 12. Then Isaac sowed in that Land Most take this to have been in the time of Famine Which makes it the greater wonder that the Ground should then bring forth so plentifully But it seems more likely to me that the Dearth was at an end For it is said Verse 8. that he had been in that Country a long time when Abimelech saw him sporting with his Wife An hundred fold This in it self is not wonderful though at this time it was a singular Blessing of God after there had been some time ago a dearth and perhaps the Soil not rich which afforded so large a crop Otherwise Varro says L. I. de Re Rustica c. 44. that in Syria about Gadera and in Africa about Byzacium they reap'd an hundred Bushels for one ex modio nasci centum Pliny and Solinus say the same of that Country Byzacium In so much that Bochartus fansies the Metropolis of that rich Country viz. Adrumetum had its Name from hence signifying in the Phoenician Language as much as the Region of an hundred fold Lib. I. Canaan cap. 24. Nay some places in Africa were so rich that they produced two hundred yea three hundred fold as he shows out of several good Authors in the 25th Chapter of that Book Whence he thinks Africa had its Name being as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Terra Spicarum a Land of Ears of Corn. All which I have noted that this Passage may not seem incredible to any Reader And the LORD blessed him Or for the LORD blessed him This is the reason of the fruitfulness of that Soil which naturally would not have yielded so much Ver. 13. And the Man waxed great c. I suppose he had many such friutful Years so that his Riches increased till he grew very great and bought more Cattle than he had before For in them consisted the ancient Riches as Servius tells us on the first of Virgil's Eclogues Omne Patrimonium apud majores peculium dicebatur a pecoribus in quibus universa eorum substantia constabat Vnde etiam PECVNIA dicta fuit à PECVLIO The same also we find said by Columella Ver. 14. Great store of Servants The Margin hath store of Husbandry Which is very likely because he was incouraged in it by his great Crops Which could not likewise but increase the Number of his Servants The Arabick set forth by Erpenius hath only a great revenue or vast increase Which among the Eastern People as I said was principally from their Cattle But God blessed him with abundance of Corn also Ver. 16. Thou art much mightier than we As the People envied him verse 14. so the King himself it seems began to fear him And therefore desired him in a friendly manner to leave his Country For they were not yet grown so wicked as to attempt to destroy those who lived quietly among them when they apprehended they would become richer and stronger than themselves Ver. 17. The Valley of Gerar. Where that was is uncertain but at some distance from the City where Abimelech dwelt and near to which Isaac had inhabited before Ver. 18. Which they had digged in the days of Abraham He chose to open the old ones rather than dig new both because he was certain there to find a Spring of Water and because it was most easie and less obnoxious to Censure or Envy And because he would preserve his Father's Memory for which reason he did not give them new Names but those they had in his Father's Days Ver. 19. They digged in the Valley c. In process of time they found a necessity of more Water and so digged till they met with a new Spring in the Valley Ver. 20. The Water is ours Because it was found in their Soil as Menochius observes But they having let the Ground to Isaac the Water was truly his as long as the Contract lasted Ver. 21. And they digged another Well I suppose in
Ver. 13. Vpon me be thy curse i. e. There is no danger I will warrant the success Ver. 15. Took goodly Raiment c. His best Clothes which most suppose were laid up in a Chest among odoriferous Flowers or other Perfumes Both to preserve them from Moths and to comfort the Brain when they were worn For their smell is mentioned verse 27. It is a groundless fansie of the Jews that these were Sacerdotal Garments and the very same that Adam wore which descended to Noah c. for as there was no Sacrifice now to be made so the Primogeniture did not make him a Priest more than Jacob as was noted before One may rather say these were Garments belonging to him as Heir of the Family Between whom and the other Sons it 's very probable the Affection of Parents was wont to make some difference in their Apparel Ver. 16. Put the Skin of the Kids of the Goats It is observed by Bochartus That in the Eastern Countries Goats-Hair was very like to that of Men. P. I. Hierozoic L. 2. c. 51. So that Isaac might easily be deceived when his Eyes were dim and his Feeling no less decayed than his Sight Ver. 18. Who art thou My Son He suspected him from his Voice and returning so soon from Hunting Ver. 19. I am Esau thy first-born c. Here are many untruths told by Jacob besides this for his Father did not bid him go get him some Venison nor did God bring this Meat to him which he had prepared c. which cannot be wholly excused But it must be confessed he and his Mother were possessed with a false Opinion That they might deceive Isaac for the good of his Family Arise I pray thee and sit and eat c. He was lying upon his Bed one would guess by this being aged and infirm And he intreats him to raise up himself and sit For so they did in those Days as we do now at their Meals This appears afterwards when Joseph's Brethren sat down to eat Bread XXXVII 25. and sat when they eat with Joseph in Egypt XLIII 33. And so Homer makes all his Hero's sit at their Feasts as Athenaeus observes Which Custom continued among the Macedonians in the days of Alexander as Bochartus observes in his Hierozoic P. I. L. II. c. 50. Ver. 21. Come near c. Isaac still suspected by this long discourse with him wherein he observed his Voice that it was not Esau And the Hebrews in Bereschith Rabba say that he fell into a great sweat and his Heart melted in him like Wax while he talked with him So that an Angel came to support him from falling down Ver. 23. So he blessed him After he had once more askt him whether he was his very Son Esau which Jacob affirmed verse 24. who was punished for this Deceit when he was cheated himself by Laban in the business of his Wives as well as in other things And as the Hebrews observed he that deceived his Father by the Skins of the Kids of Goats was deceived himself into a false opinion that Joseph was killed by his Brethren dipping his Coat in the Blood of a Kid of the Goats Gen. XXXVII 31. Ver. 26. Come now and kiss me Some think he had a desire to be satisfied that way whether he was Esau or not But I take it rather to be a Token of his great Love and Affection wherewith he bestowed his Blessing upon him Ver. 27. He smelled the smell of his Raiment As he embraced him he perceived the fragrancy of his Garments Which he could not before while he stood remote his Senses being weak and dull The Jews who fansie these to have been the Garments wherein Adam ministred imagine also that they retained the scent which they had in Paradise So Bereschith Rabba and R. Sol. Jarchi as Braunius observes L. I. de Vestib Hebr. Sacerd. c. 4. See the smell of my Son The apprehension of one Sense is in this Language often used for the apprehension of another as Maimonides speaks P. I. More Nevoch cap. 46. as see the Word of the LORD Jer. II. 31. i. e. Hear his Word And so in this place See the smell is as much as Smell the Odour of my Son c. But it may simply signifie Behold or observe no Field that God hath adorned with the greatest variety of the most fragrant Flowers smells sweeter than my Son Ver. 28. Therefore God give thee c. I take it for a sign that God will give thee for so it may be translated as a Prophecy as well as a Prayer the greatest abundance Which proceeds from a rich Soil well watered from Heaven These two are the causes of Plenty The Dew of Heaven Rain fell only at certain Seasons in that Country But there was a recompence for it by large Dews which very much refreshed the Earth and are represented in Scripture as a Divine Gift Job XXXVIII 28. Micah V. 7. which God threatens sometimes to with-hold because of Mens Offences 1 Kings XVII 1. Ver. 29. Let People serve thee c. As the former part of the Blessing relates to Wealth So this to Dominion and Empire Which was signally fulfilled in the Days of David when the Moabites Ammonites Syrians Philistines and Edomites also were subdued under him Let thy Mother's Sons bow down to thee This is a third part of the Blessing giving him a Prerogative in his own Family And in the next words he pronounces a Blessing upon all that should be Friends to him as on the contrary a Curse upon his Enemies Ver. 33. Isaac trembled very exceedingly What the Hebrews say upon verse 21. see there had been more proper here That his Heart melted and he was ready to swoon away Who A broken form of Speech Yea and he shall be blessed He had blessed him so Seriously and with such Affection and it is likely extraordinary Confidence of God's Approbation that he would not revoke it For he felt as I take it the Spirit of Prophecy upon him when he pronounced this Blessing And it inlightned him to understand the Oracle formerly delivered XXV 23. Ver. 35. Taken away thy Blessing Which I intended to have bestowed on thee looking upon it as thine by the right of being my First-born Ver. 37. All his Brethren His Kindred What shall I now do unto thee my Son Having given Jacob so much it was but a small matter he could do for him Ver. 39. Behold thy dwelling shall be the fatness c. Some have translated it Thy dwelling shall be without the fatness of the Earth and the Dew from above But by thy Sword shalt thou live c. i. e. He prophesies that he should inhabit a poor Country But maintain himself plentifully by his Sword For otherwise they think his Blessing would be the same with Jacob's verse 28. But if we retain our Translation there is a manifest difference between this and Jacob's Benediction For here he makes no
was a noble Employment in those Days to keep Sheep Whence God himself hath the Name of the Shepherd of Israel She had those under her we are to suppose who took the greatest Pains about them but she was the Chief Shepherdess who inspected them all Ver. 10. Went near and rolled the Stone He was stronger or more dextrous at such things than any Body there Or the meaning is he assisted in this Work and perhaps was the first that set to his Hand about Ver. 11. Jacob kissed Rachel Having told her who he was and satisfied her of the Truth of it then after the Custom used among near Relations at their first meeting he saluted her And that with more than ordinary Affection for he wept for Joy to see her Laban in like manner kissed him Ver. 12. Her Father's Brother So all near Relations are called verse 15. Ver. 13. He told Laban all these things Which are mentioned in the fore-going and this Chapter The reason of his coming from home God's Providence over him in his Journey and his happy meeting with Rachel Ver. 14. Surely thou art my Bone and my Flesh So very near of Kin to me that I can deny thee nothing Ver. 15. Because thou art Or as de Dieu translates the word Haci and gives many Instances of it Art thou not my Brother Is it fit then that thou shouldst serve me for nothing Ver. 17. Leah was tender-eyed Some translate it had delicate Eyes So the Chaldee And then the meaning is All her Beauty lay in her Eyes Beautiful and well-favoured Was every way amiable Being well shaped having good Features and a fine Complexion Ver. 18. I will serve thee seven Years for Rachel c. He had not brought Money enough with him to purchase a Wife as the manner was in those Days and therefore offers his Service for seven Years instead of it Ver. 19. It is better that I give her thee c. He seems to answer cunningly And yet one cannot but take it for a Contract as it appears to have been by verse 21. Ver. 20. They seemed unto him but a few Days He valued Rachel so much that the Price at which he purchased her seemed inconsiderable Ver. 21. Give me my Wife So she had been by Contract ever since it was made verse 19. and he doth not now demand that he might have her to Wife but that he might enjoy her Being already his Wife by that solemn Agreement made seven Years ago Ver. 22. Laban gathered together the Men of the place All such private Contracts were compleated by the Elders or Governors of the Place in the presence of all the People We had an Instance of this before in Abraham's purchase of a Sepulchre for his Family XXIII 11 18. Which was a Sacred and Religious thing as well as the Rites of Marriage and therefore both of them Publici Juris as Cornel. Bertram speaks part of the Publick Care Ver. 23. In the Evening At Bed-time Brought her to him The Modesty of those Times made them bring the Bride to her Husband's Bed veiled and without lights So that it was the easier for Laban to deceive Jacob by bringing Leah to him Whom he could not hope so readily to dispose in Marriage as Rachel because she was homely Ver. 24. Gave unto his Daughter Zilpah his Maid c. A very poor Portion Yet all that he gave to Rachel afterward verse 29. which made them say That he used them as Strangers not as his Children putting them off without any Portion XXXI 14 15. Ver. 26. It must not be so done in our Country c. We do not read of any such ancient Custom And therefore this seems a mere shift or a jest Or if it had been true he should have told it Jacob before-hand Ver. 27. Fulfil her week c. Perfect this Marriage with Leah by keeping a seven Days Feast as the Custom was and then thou shalt have Rachel also For he doth not speak of a Week of Years but of Days as Mr. Selden shows out of many Authors L. V. de Jure N. G. cap. 5. where he hath this plain Commentary upon these words Marriages are to be celebrated according to Custom by a seven Day 's Feast Compleat this Marriage thou hast begun with Leah and then upon Condition of another seven Years Service thou shalt marry Rachel also and keep her Wedding-Feast seven Days Ver. 30. And served with him yet other seven Years After he had solemnly married Rachel and bedded her as we speak for that he did seven Days after his Marriage with Leah was accomplished So this Verse begins And he went in also unto Rachel and then began his other seven Years Service There was no positive Law as yet against such Marriages as this with two Sisters which were afterwards expresly condemned But at present indulged as the Marriage of a Man 's own Sister was in the beginning of the World Whence that saying of the Jews in the Gemara Hierosol upon the Title Sanhedrim The World was built by Indulgence And Jacob it is very likely thought there was an unavoidable necessity for his marrying these two Sisters For Rachel was his true Wife Leah being imposed upon him by a Cheat. But having known her he concluded he could not honestly leave her no more than he could Rachel to whom he was first contracted Ver. 31. Leah was hated Comparatively not absolutely For Leah having joyned with her Father to deceive him he could not love her so well as Rachel to whom he had engaged his first Affection Ver. 32. Reuben The Name of this Son and of all the rest that follow are derived from the Hebrew Tongue Which shows that Laban's Family spake the same Language with Abraham's with some little variation as appears afterward XXXI 47. CHAP. XXX Ver. 1. ENvied her Sister Was so grieved that it made her fret into Impatience and Rage For it is a frantick Speech which follows Give me Children or I die I shall make my self away as we now speak or die with Grief See here the great danger of two eager and impatient Desires The fulfilling of which was her death indeed Ver. 2. Jacob's Anger was kindled He conceived a just Indignation against her Impatience which he expresses with some heat Am I in God's stead c. Is it in my Power to give what God thinks fit to deny Thus he puts her in mind of what the Psalmist said afterward Children are a gift that cometh of the LORD as the old Translation hath it CXXVII 3. Ver. 3. Behold my Maid Bilhah go in unto her She followed the steps of Sarah Jacob's Grand-Mother XVI 1. in adopting the Son of her Maid-Servant Whom she gave to Jacob out of the same Principle that Sarah gave Hagar to be Abraham's Wife a vehement Desire to fulfill the Promise that their Seed should be as the Stars of Heaven and especially the Promise of the Messiah which made them
Pulse or such like mean Diet to promote his Master's Profit Ver. 39. That which was torn of Beasts c. And that also which was stolen by Theft was not brought to Laban's Account but Jacob made them good Which was not only an unjust exaction but an inhumane For the most careful Shepherd in the World could not have his Eye every where to prevent such things especially in the dark as it follows Whether stolen by day or by night A most barbarous usage of a Nephew and a Son-in-law to make him pay for that which wild Beasts devoured or Thieves stole against his will when no Body could see their approach in the Night Some question where Jacob got Money to pay for them But it is to be considered that he did not come quite unprovided from his Father's House with which also we may reasonably think he still held some Correspondence Ver. 40. Thus was I in the day the drought c. While I served thee the Heat consumed me in the Day-time and the Frost nipt me by Night For in those Countries Shepherds were wont to watch their Flocks especially about the time that Ews were likely to yean As we read Luke II. 8. See Bochart in his Hierozoic P. I. L. II. cap. 44. My Sleep departed from mine Eyes Many times he took no rest being awakned by wild Beasts or by Thieves or kept awake by his great solicitude for his Flock Ver. 41. Thus have I been twenty Years in thy House This hath been my manner of life for no less than twenty Years that I have been a Servant in thy Family Ver. 42. The fear of Isaac The God whom Isaac feared that is worshipped As the Chaldee interprets it Thou hadst sent we away now empty Without Goods Wives or Children For he seems to have been so barbarous that if he had been left to himself he would have made them all his Slaves God hath seen my affliction How ill thou hast treated me and taken care to relieve me For so the word seen signifies in many places particularly XVI 13. Ver. 43. These Cattle are my Cattle c. Because they belonged to his Daughters and their Children therefore he calls them his That is now he is in a good mood and pretends the same Care of every thing that Jacob had as if it were his own So it follows And what can I do this day unto these my Daughters c. How can I do them any harm when they are so very dear to me Ver. 44. Let us make a Covenant c. Enter into a strict League by some Monument or other that shall remain as a Testimony of our Friendship Ver. 45. Set it up for a Pillar For a Monument of what Laban desired Ver. 46. Jacob said to his Brethren Gather stones c. He prays every one whom Laban had brought with him to bring a Stone and they did so and laid them together on an heap which was flat at the top like a Table So that they did eat upon it the next Morning verse 54. Ver. 47. Laban called it Jegar-Sahadutha c. One of them gave it a Syriac Name signifying the heap of Testimony The other an Hebrew signifying the heap of Witness For Gal is an Heap in Hebrew and Ed a Witness These two Languages were different But not so much that they did not understand one another as appears by the whole Story Ver. 48. This heap is a witness between me and thee this day It shall remain as a Monument that we agree not to transgress these Bounds as it is explained verse 52. Ver. 49. Mizpah A Watch-Tower This shows that Laban understood Hebrew as well as Syriac Or rather that these were two Dialects Which differed in pronunciation and in many words as those mentioned verse 47. but in most had the same common to them both The LORD watch between me and thee Observe how we behave our selves when we cannot see one another Here he uses the Name of Jehovah which shows he was acquainted with the Religion of Jacob as well as his Language and worshipped it 's likely the LORD of Heaven and of Earth though not without some superstitious mixtures Ver. 50. If thou shalt afflict my Daughters c. It seems to be a short form of Speech importing God who observes all things will punish thee for it If thou take other Wives besides my Daughters Which might have been worse for them and their Posterity And therefore he lays this restraint upon him No Man is with us c. Though here be no Man besides our selves to be Witness of this Agreement yet consider that God which is infinitely more knows it and will punish him that transgresses it In these two last Verses he discourses very Religiously which revived also his natural Affection to his Children Ver. 52. This heap be witness and this pillar be witness c. It seems that Laban and his Company set up an Heap made of the Stones which every one brought and Jacob set up one single large Stone verse 45. in the form of a Pillar And it 's likely his Pillar lookt towards the Land of Canaan and their Heap towards Haran That I will not pass over this heap c. As Stones were set in the Confines of Fields to be Boundaries and Land-marks as we call them to distinguish Mens Possessions and limit them from incroaching one upon another So were this Heap and this Pillar intended to be in the nature of such Boundaries beyond which neither of them should pass armed to offend the other Ver. 53. The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor These two were Brethren for he doth not mean sure their Grand-Father the Father of Terah XI 24. and before Abraham was called out of Vr they both worshipped other Gods Josh XXIV 2. But then Abraham renounced those Gods and worshipped only the Creator of Heaven and Earth As Nahor I have formerly conjectured also did when he followed him to Haran Therefore I think we need not make a question by which of Abraham's Gods Laban now swears For I take him to have been bred up in the true Religion which made Abraham desire his Son should have a Wife out of this Family for which reason Isaac also sent Jacob hither The God of their Father As much as to say by the God of our Ancestors Who after God's appearing to Abraham and calling him out of his own Country became the Worshippers of the LORD of Heaven and Earth alone See XI 31. Jacob sware by the fear of his Father Isaac By him whom Isaac worshipped verse 42. He mentions the fear of Isaac rather than the God of Abraham to declare more plainly and undoubtedly by what God he sware For Abraham had been an Idolater but Isaac never was Ver. 54. Jacob offered sacrifice Peace-Offerings as they were afterward called part of which were eaten by him that offered them and by his Friends This further shows they were of the
before verse 25 And so they are immediately in this very Verse Sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites For they were very near Neighbours and joyned together in Trade making now one Caravan with a joynt Stock as this Story intimates Read Judg. VIII 1 3 22 23 24 26. and it will appear the Scripture speaks of them as one and the same People in after-times For twenty pieces of Silver Most understand so many Shekels Which was a very small Price but therefore demanded and no more that the Bargain might be clapt up the sooner Ver. 29. Reuben returned to the pit He pretending some business had withdrawn himself from the Company with an intention when his Brethren were gone from the Pit to come privately and take Joseph out and carry him to his Father Upon that Design he now came thither Rent his Clothes As they used to do when they mourned for the dead Whereby he expressed his real Grief for his Brother Ver. 30. The Child is not He is dead as this Phrase commonly signifies Whither shall I go I know not whither to flee to hide my self from my Father's Anger Who might justly expect the eldest Son should take the greatest Care of him Ver. 31. And they took Joseph's Coat c. His Brethren it seems persuaded Reuben also to joyn with them in concealing the Sale of Joseph and making their old Father believe he was devoured by some wild Beast Ver. 32. They sent the Coat c. They first sent it by a Messenger and immediately followed themselves with the Tale which is here related Ver. 33. An evil Beast Some wild Beast of which there were great store in those Countries such as Lions and Bears for he could not suspect his Brethren would kill him Ver. 34. Rent his Cloathes and put sack-cloth on his loins This was the highest degree of Mourning in those Days We read often of putting on Sack-Cloth in future Ages upon such sad Occasions But this is the first time we meet with it which shows the great Antiquity of such Customs Mourned for his Son many Days Beyond the ordinary time of Mourning Many Years as the word Days sometimes signifies perhaps till he heard he was alive So the following Verse seems to denote that he resolved not to cease Mourning for him as long as he lived Ver. 35. All his Sons and Daughters He had but one Daughter Therefore the meaning is his Sons Wives or their Daughters I will go down into the Grave c. If Scheol here be expounded Grave then the next words must be thus translated mourning for my Son as R. Solomon interprets them For Joseph was not buried in a Grave and therefore he could not think of going down to him thither And thus Christophorus à Castro upon the Second of Baruch acknowledges Scheol signifies in this place and interprets it in this manner Lugere non desinam donec me sepulturae demandetis I will not cease to Mourn till you lay me in my Grave But if we follow our Translation which is most common I will go down to my Son then Scheol must signifie the State or Place of the dead as it often doth And particularly Isaiah XIV where the King of Babylon is expresly denied the honour of a Grave verse 19 20. Scheol is said to be moved for him and to meet him and to stir up the dead for him verse 9. Thus his Father wept for him Continued his Mourning not only by wearing Sack-Cloth but in such passionate Expressions as these Ver. 36. And the Midianites In the Hebrew the word is Medanim a distinct Name from those verse 38. who were a People derived from Medan one of the Sons of Keturah and Brother to Midian XXV 2. They and the Midianites lived near together in Arabia not far from the Ishmaelites Who all joyned together in this Caravan and made one Society of Merchants consisting of Medanites Midianites and Ishmaelites An Officer The Hebrew word Saris oftentimes signifies an Eunuch By whom the Eastern Queens were attended But it likewise signifies all the great Courtiers as the Chaldee here translates it such as the Bed-Chamber-Men the Lord-Chamberlain as we now speak and such like Officers of State And therefore is rightly translated here for Potiphar had a Wife The truth is this was the prime signification of the word Till in after times the depravation of Manners and the jealousie of the Eastern Kings made them set none but Slaves who were castrated to attend their Queens by whom they were preferred to great Offices and so came to enjoy this Name Pharaoh This was a common Name to all the Kings of Egypt See XII 15. Captain of the Guard The LXX translate it Master Cook And so Epiphanius calls his Wife 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haeres XXVI n. 17. Our Margin hath it Chief of the Slaughter-men or Executioners But the word Tabachim may better be translated Soldiers than Butchers or Executioners And here some think may denote him whom we call the Provost-Marshal Others will have it the Master of the Horse But I see no more proper translation than ours Captain of the Guard Or rather Chief Commander of the King's Guard such an one as Nebuzaradan was 2 Kings XXV 20. For Schar is more than one whom we now call a Captain See XL. 3. This Phrase Schar-Hatabachim is explained by Hottinger out of the Ethiopick Tongue See Smegma Orient p. 85. CHAP. XXXVIII Ver. 1. AT that time It is uncertain whether he mean at the time Joseph was sold which is just before mentioned or at the time Jacob returned from Mesopotamia to live in Canaan XXXIII 18. or when he went to settle with his Father at Mamre XXXV 27. But take it any of these ways there was time enough for all the Events following before they went into Egypt supposing Judah's Children to have married very young As may be seen in most Interpreters Judah went down from his Brethren Either upon some business or in some discontent Adullamite A Citizen of Adullam which was a famous Town or City that fell afterwards to the Tribe of Judah Whose King was slain by Joshua XII 19 And where there was a famous Cave in which David hid himself 1 Sam. XXII 1. Ver. 2. Judah saw there So as to fall in Love with her For according to the old Saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Daughter of a certain Canaanite It was not so bad for a Man circumcised to marry the Daughter of one uncircumcised as it was to give their Daughters in Marriage to an uncircumcised Husband XXXIV 14. For an uncircumcised Man was accounted unclean though he had renounced Idolatry But a Woman born of uncircumcised Parents was not so accounted if she embraced the worship of the True God Whence Salmon a great Man in the Tribe of Judah married Rahab who was a Canaanite Such a one we must suppose this Woman whom Judah married to have been or else he had offended his Father as much as
might not lie under any suspicion of having offered Violence to her Ver. 24. Bring her forth Out of her Father's House into the place of Judgment Where he would have her sentenced to the severest Punishment Let her be burnt Not presently for that had been the highest Injustice and Cruelty to burn the Child in her Belly but after she was delivered Till which time he would have her kept in such safe Custody that this Execution might be done upon her Some think burning was the Punishment for Adultery in those Days Others think the Punishment depended on the Will of the Supreme Governor whosoever he was Whom some also take to have been Judah himself as Chief in his own Family And that he was so severe against her because she had disgraced his Family and he was glad to be rid of her that he might not give his Son Selah to her But there are those who think by burning is meant no more but branding her in the Fore-head to denote her to be an Whore See Mr. Selden L. VII de Jure N. G. cap. 5. If Judah did mean burning her at a Stake as we now speak it was a Punishment not then commonly used but inflicted as his words are L. III. Vxor Hebr. cap. 12. ex more seu lege aliqua singulari By some singular Custom or Law All this proceeds upon a supposition that she really was Selah's Wife though not solemnly married as the Jews pretend it was necessary after the Law was given by Virtue of the first Contract with his eldest Brother Which was the reason of her being kept at her Father's House that no Body else might pretend to her but she be reserved for him Otherwise there could have been no ground for proceeding against her as an Adulteress Ver. 26. She hath been more righteous than I. These words do not signifie that she had in this matter committed a less Sin than he for she had committed a greater but that in another matter which was the occasion of this he had broken his word with her when she had till now kept her Faith with him and lived a Widow honestly in expectation of his Son Besides she committed this Fact out of desire to have a Child he to satisfie his Lust And he knew her no more Which some have translated quite contrary and he ceased not to know her i. e. he solemnly married her and took her to be his Wife Which was unlawful after the Law of Moses was given but as lawful before as many other things which they practised And two of the Chaldee Paraphrasts have feigned a Bath-coll to have come from Heaven to countenance the Fact See Mr. Selden L. V. de Jure N. G. cap. 9. and L. VII cap. 5. But it is not likely he would take his Son's Wife to be his own And likewise having known her though by an Error most think Selah himself afterward had her not to Wife But she rather did Penance as we now speak in Widowhood all her Days For Selah we find had Children by another Numb XXVI 19. Ver. 28. This came out first Perceiving there were Twins struggling in her Womb the Midwife to distinguish this from the other as the First-born bound this Thred about his Wrist Ver. 29. How hast thou broke forth What is the Cause of this Or what a Violence is this Speaking as one astonished at his eruption For it was without Example and therefore the Novelty of the thing made her break out into this Exclamation Though if it be true which a learned Anatomist affirms that where Twins are of the same Sex they are wrapped in the very same Secundines as they call them whereas those that are of a different are separated by distinct Inclosures the other Son being stronger and more vigorous might force his way the more readily when his Brother was nearer to the Birth Fernelius L. VII Physiolog cap. 12. This breach be upon thee Take thy Name from this Breach Be thou ever called Eruption or Breach as Bochart interprets it Hierozoic P. I. L. II. cap. 30. Ver. 30. Called Zarah Which most think signifies as much as he ariseth being used commonly of the Sun 's rising because this Child appeared first by putting out his Hand before the other CHAP. XXXIX Ver. 1. AND Joseph Having ended this Story of Judah he returns to that of Joseph which he had begun before in the XXXVII Chapter repeating where he left off how he was sold to Potiphar Brought down It is a descent from Judea to Egypt Which lies very low Ver. 2. And the LORD was with Joseph To guide him in his Deportment and in the management of all Affairs committed to him So that as it follows he was a prosperous Man He was in the House of his Master One of his Domestick Servants Ver. 3. His Master saw that the LORD was with him c. Found by Observation and Experience that he was an extraordinary Person It is not likely that Potiphar knew God by the Name of Jehovah But the meaning is he observed the happy Fruits of Joseph's Service which Moses not he ascribes to the LORD 's peculiar Blessing Ver. 4. And he served him Found such Favour with his Master that he took him to wait upon his Person And he made him Overseer over his House In time he advanced him to a higher Station to be as they now speak his Major Domo to whom all the Servants in the Family were to be Obedient And put all he had into his Hand Committed all his Estate both within Doors and without as appears by the next Verse to his Care and Management Ver. 6. He left all he had in Joseph's Hand Did not call him to a daily Account nor concerned himself about any Business But trusted intirely to his Prudence and Fidelity And he knew not ought he had save the Bread which he did eat This is the highest Expression of Confidence signifying that he was utterly careless about any thing that concerned his Estate Not minding what his Expence or Receipts were but taking his Ease left all to Joseph's Honesty In short he thought of nothing but only to enjoy what he had without any Care or Trouble And Joseph was a goodly Person c. Being the Son of a beautiful Mother Ver. 7. Cast her Eyes upon Joseph Lookt upon him Amorously or rather Lasciviously He being young as well as handsom Ver. 9. How can I do this great Wickedness c. Here are three He Hajedia's as the Hebrews call them pointing us to so many remarkable things How shall I commit such a Wickedness as Adultery Such a great Wickedness Against so kind a Master who so intirely trusts in my Integrity Especially since it cannot be committed without the highest Offence to God Ver. 10. Day by day Took all occasions to solicite him Or to be with her He avoided as much as was possible to entertain any Discourse with her shunning her
And very apt to move Compassion God hath found out the iniquity of thy Servants c. Having made some pause after those words How shall we clear our selves he proceeds to an ingenuous acknowledgment that he and his Brethren had been guilty of many Sins for which God had now brought them hither to suffer the Punishment of them Yet he neither confesses this particular Guilt nor denies it nor excuses it But acknowledging God's Justice casts himself and his Brethren upon Joseph's Mercy Ver. 18. Then Judah came near to him The Equity which appeared in Joseph expressed in the words foregoing emboldned Judah to approach nearer to him For he seems to have spoken the former words as soon as he entred the Room When he and his Brethren cast themselves down on the Ground verse 14. Speak a word in my Lord's Ears Have a favourable Audience for a few words more For he doth not mean to speak to him privately And by a Word he means all the following Speech which he makes as short as it was possible And let not thy Anger burn against thy Servant And be pleased to hear me out with Patience For thou art even as Pharaoh I know before whom I speak And therefore will not impertinently â—…ouble thee But barely lay the state of our Case before thee Ver. 20. A little one So Benjamin was in comparison with themselves He alone is left of his Mother c. We do not read that they had said this to Joseph before but only that the youngest was with their Father XLII 13 32. But no doubt Judah remembers him now of nothing but what had been then delivered but related more briefly than it is here Ver. 27. My Wife bare me two Sons He called Rachel his Wife as if he had no other Because she was the only Person he designed to marry and was by consequence his principal Wife Ver. 30. His life is bound up in the Lad's life It so depends upon the Life of this Son that if he think he be dead he will die with Grief also Ver. 33. Let thy Servant abide instead of the Lad c. It will be the same to thee nay I may be able to do thee more Service and the greatest act of Pity to our aged Father Ver. 34. For how shall I go up to my Father c. I must abide here too if thou wilt not dismiss him For I am not able to see my Father die There is nothing could be said more moving than what is delivered in this Speech of Judah which flowed any one may see from such Natural Passions as no Art can imitate Which makes me wish that they who think these Historical Books of Scripture were written with no other Spirit but that with which honest Men now write the History of their Country or the Lives of any famous Persons would seriously read and consider this Speech of Judah's to Joseph together with the foregoing Dialogue between Jacob and his Sons from the 29th Verse of the XLII Chapter to the 15th of the XLIII and I hope it may make them change their Opinion And be of the Mind of Dr. Jackson B. I. on the Creed cap. 4. That seeing such Passages are related by Men who affect no Art and who lived long after the Parties that first uttered them we cannot conceive how all Particulars could be so naturally and fully recorded unless they had been suggested by his Spirit who gives Mouth and Speech to Men. Who being alike present to all Successions is able to communicate the secret Thoughts of Fore-fathers to their Children and put the very Words of the deceased never registred before into the Mouths or Pens of their Successors for many Generations after And that as exactly and distinctly as if they had been caught in Characters of Steel or Brass as they issued out of their Mouth For it is plain every Circumstance is here related with such natural Specifications as he speaks as if Moses had heard them talk and therefore could not have been thus represented to us unless they had been written by his Direction who knows all things as well forepast as present or to come Philo justly admired this Speech which he hath expressed in an Eloquent Paraphrase And Josephus hath endeavoured to out-do him CHAP. XLV Ver. 1. COuld not refrain himself Tears began to run down his Cheeks or were ready to burst out with such Violence that he could not hinder them Cause every Man to go out from me He would not have the Egyptians to be Witnesses of his Brethrens Guilt nor did it become his Dignity to be seen by them in such a Passion And therefore he commanded those that attended him to leave him alone with his Brethren Ver. 2. He wept aloud Which we express very properly in our Language he cried For Tears having been long suppressed are wont when they break out to be accompanied with some Noise And the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard They whom he sent forth being in the next Room heard him cry And reported what a Passion he was in to the whole Court Ver. 3. I am Joseph This word made them start as appears by the next Verse Doth my Father yet live May I believe what you have told me XLIII 28. He saith not this because he doubted of it But to express his Joy at that good News And they could not answer him Being astonish'd as it follows at his Presence For they could not but reflect upon their cruel usage of him and now saw him in full Power to punish them Ver. 4. Come near to me I pray you This I think signifies that they had started back as Men affrighted And therefore he invites them kindly to approach him I am Joseph your Brother This word Brother added to what he said before verse 3. was a Comfort to them For it showed that his Greatness did not make him forget his Relation Whom you sold into Egypt Nor their Unkindness alienated his Affection from them Ver. 5. Now therefore be not grieved c. Do not afflict your selves too much for your Sin Because God hath turned it into Good God sent me before you c. When you thought only to be rid of me God intended another thing Which is now come to pass For he hath made me an Instrument of preserving all your Lives A most happy Event of a most wicked Deed. Ver. 6. Neither earing nor harvest Or no Ploughing Sowing or Harvest For to what purpose should they sow when they knew if they believed Joseph that nothing would come of it Ver. 7. And God sent me before you c. He repeats what he had said verse 5. concerning the Hand of God in this business That by fixing their Thoughts upon his Providence they might be the less oppressed with the weight of their own Guilt To save your lives by a great deliverance In a wonderful manner Ver. 8. It was not you but God c. He mentions
him here XXI 33. XXVI 23. Vnto the God of his Father Isaac Who was his immediate Ancestor and had conferred the Blessing of Abraham upon him And therefore he mentions him rather than Abraham Ver. 2. In the Visions of the Night See upon XX. 3. Jacob Jacob. He redoubles his Name to awaken his Attention and he calls him Jacob rather than Israel as he is called in the beginning of the Verse to remember him what he was Originally and that by his Favour he was made Israel Ver. 3. Fear not to go down into Egypt He was afraid perhaps that if Joseph should die his Family might be made Slaves For which he had some reason from what was said to Abraham in a like Vision XV. 13. I will make of thee a great Nation He renews the Promise which at the same time was made to Abraham That his Seed should be as numerous as the Stars of Heaven XV. 5. Ver. 4. I will go down with thee c. Take care of thee in thy Journey that no Evil shall befal thee and preserve thee and thy Family there And bring thee up again i. e. His Posterity who should multiply there For the Scripture speaks of Parents and Children as one Person Put his Hands upon thine Eyes Be with thee when thou leavest this World and take care of thy Funeral when thou art dead For this was the first thing that was done when one expired to close his Eyes Which was performed both among Greeks and Romans as many Authors inform us by the nearest Relations or dearest Friends See Mr. Selden L. II. de Synedr cap. 7. n. 12. and Menochius de Repub. Hebr. L. VIII cap. 4. Qu. XI In short by these words God assures him that Joseph should not die while he lived as Mr. Selden observes out of Baal-haturim in his Additions to the fore-named Chapter p. 737. and that he should die in Peace having his Children about him Ver. 7. His Daughters He had but one Daughter and therefore the Plural Number is used for the Singular as verse 23. Sons is put for Son or else he includes his Grand-Daughter who in Scripture-Language is called the Daughter of her Grand-Father But the first seems the truest Account if what is said verse 15. be considered Where the whole Number of his Descendants from Leah being summed up Dinah under the Name of Daughters must be taken in to make up three and thirty reckoning Jacob himself also for one of them Ver. 9. Hanoch From whom came the Family of the Hanochites as we read Numb XXVI 5. Phallu From whom in like manner sprung the Family of the Phalluites as Moses there notes And says the same of the rest of Reuben's Sons that they were the Fathers of Families when they came into Egypt Ver. 10. Jemuel This Son of Simeon is called Nemuel in Numb XXVI 12. and 1 Chron. IV. 24. Ohad He is named among the Sons of Simeon when Moses was sent to bring them out of Egypt Exod. VI. 15. But either he had no Posterity or they were extinct For shortly after there is no mention of him in Numb XXVI 12. Nor is he to be found among his Sons in 1 Chron. IV. 24. Jachin Is called Jarib in 1 Chron. IV. 24. and is thought by some to have been the Grand-Father of Zimri whom Phineas slew in his Fornication with the Midianitish Woman Ver. 12. Er and Onan died in the Land of Canaan And therefore are not to be numbred among them that went down into Egypt But in stead of them the two Sons of Pharez are set down though perhaps not now born to supply the place of Er and Onan The Sons of Pharez were Hezron and Hamul When Jacob went down into Egypt Pharez was so young that one can scarce think he had two Sons at that time But they were born soon after before Jacob died And St. Austin seems to have truly judged that Jacob's descent into Egypt comprehends all the seventeen Years which he lived after it Or we may conceive it possible that their Mother was with Child of them when Jacob went down into Egypt For then Pharez is thought to have been fourteen Years old at which Age it is so far from being incredible that he might have two Sons that in these latter Ages some have begotten a Child when they were younger Jul. Scaliger a Man of unquestionable Credit assures us that in his memory there was a Boy not quite twelve Years old who had a Daughter by a Cousin of his who was not quite ten Rem notam narro cujus memoria adhuc recens est in Aquitania This was a known thing the memory of which was then fresh in Aquitain Ver. 13. And the Sons of Issachar Tola Some have wondred that he should give his eldest Son a Name that signifies a Worm Perhaps it was as Bochart conjectures because he was a poor shriveled Child when he was born not likely to live And yet it pleased God that he became a great Man from whom sprang a numerous Off-spring Numb XXVI 23. and so fruitful that in the Days of David there were numbred above two and twenty thousand of them 1 Chron. VII 2. who were Men of Might and Valour Ver. 15. Which she bare unto Jacob in Padan-Aram She bare the Fathers of them there But the Children were born in Canaan All the Souls of his Sons and Daughters c. See verse 7. Ver. 19. Rachel Jacob's Wife She was his only choice as was noted before on XLIV 27. Ver. 21. The Sons of Benjamin c. He being now but about twenty four Years old we cannot well think he had all these Sons when he went down into Egypt But some of them were born afterward before Jacob died as was said before verse 12. Yet they are all here mention'd because they were most of them now born and all became the Heads of Families in their Tribe It is possible he might begin so early to beget Children as to have all these before they went into Egypt See Verse 12. Ver. 26. Came out of his Loins In the Hebrew out of his Thigh A modest Expression The Parts serving for the Propagation of Mankind being placed between the Thighs All the Souls were threescore and six i. e. Leaving out Joseph and his two Sons who did not come with Jacob into Egypt but were there already and Jacob himself who could not be said to come out of his own Loins they made just this Number Ver. 27. All the Souls which came into Egypt were threescore and ten There is a remarkable difference between this Verse and the foregoing There verse 26. they only are numbred who came with Jacob into Egypt Which were no more than threescore and six But here are numbred all that came into Egypt viz. first and last which plainly comprehend Jacob Joseph and his two Sons And make up threescore and ten Ver. 28. And he sent Judah before him Who seems by the whole Story
sent from his Father's House to acquaint Joseph with his weak Condition So the next Verse teaches us to understand it He took with him c. Immediately he went to receive his Blessing and took with him his two Sons that he might bless them also Ver. 2. One told Jacob c. Joseph sent a Messenger before him to let his Father know he was coming to visit him Israel strengthned himself This Message revived him and made him stir up all his Spirits to receive him chearfully And sat upon his bed Leaning it 's likely upon his Staff for the support of his feeble Body See XLVII ult Ver. 3. Appeared to me at Luz He appeared twice to him in this place First when he went to Padan-Aram XXVIII 13. upon which he gave this Place the Name of Bethel verse 19. and when he returned from thence XXXV 6 9 c. and both times made him the Promise which here follows and therefore it is likely he hath respect to both And blessed me Promised to me the Blessing which follows Ver. 4. For an everlasting possession We do not read this in either of the Appearances in so many words But he said it in effect when he told him in the last Appearance there XXXV 12. The Land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac to thee will I give it c. Now he gave it to Abraham and his Seed for ever XIII 15. Ver. 5. And now thy two Sons c. Having assured him God would be as good as his Word in giving the Land of Canaan to his Posterity he tells him what share his Children should have in it Are mine Thy two Sons shall be reckoned as if I had begotten them And accordingly have each of them an Inheritance equal with the rest of my Sons and be distinct Tribes As Reuben and Simeon shall they be mine He instances in them because they were his eldest Sons Who he says should have no more than Ephraim and Manasseh And perhaps the meaning may be these two shall be accounted as the First-born of my Family For he gives Joseph the Primogeniture who was indeed the First-born of his first intended Wife and bestows a double Portion upon him by making his two Sons equal to the rest of his Children Ver. 6. And thy issue which thou begettest after them shall be thine I will make no distinct Provision for them as I have done for these two But they shall be called after the Name of their Brethren in their Inheritance i. e. be reckoned among these two Ephraim and Manasseh and not make distinct Tribes as they shall but be comprehended in them Ver. 7. And as for me when I came from Padan-Aram Rachel died by me c. He mentions her death which doth not seem to belong to the foregoing discourse because it hapned presently after that last Promise in Bethel XXXV 18. and he thought it would be grateful to his Son to hear him remember his dear Mother For it is as if he had said And now my Son this puts me in mind of thy Mother who died immediately after that Promise of multiplying my Seed And yet I see it fulfilled in those Children which God hath given thee Or we may look upon these words as giving the reason why he took Ephraim and Manasseh to be his own Children and the Sence to be as if he had said Thy Mother indeed and my beloved Wife died soon after she began to bear Children when she might have brought me many more And therefore I adopt these her Grand-Children and look upon them as if they had been born of Rachel And I do it in Memory and Honour of her supplying by adoption what was wanting in Generation And I buried her there He could not carry her to the Cave of Machpelah where he desired to be laid himself because she died in Child-bed Which constrain'd him to bury her sooner than otherwise he might have done And it is to be supposed he had not in his Travels all things necessary to preserve her Body long by embalming her as Joseph did him Ver. 8. And Israel beheld Joseph's Sons c. He saw two others stand by Joseph but could not discern distincly who they were by reason of the dimness of his Sight verse 10. Ver. 9. And I will bless them As he had just before promised verse 5. Ver. 10. And he brought them near unto him And made them kneel down before him as the twelfth Verse seems to intimate And he kissed them c. Expressed the greatest Affection to them Ver. 12. Brought them out from between his Knees It appears by Verse 2. that Jacob sat upon his Bed and his Legs hanging down they kneeled between his Knees From whence Joseph took them And then seems to have placed himself in the same posture bowing himself with his Face to the Earth as the following words tell us to give his Father Thanks for his Kindness to his Children Or rather we may conceive that while Jacob embraced them in his Arms and kissed them with more than ordinary Affection Joseph was afraid that they might lie too long or press too hard upon his Father's Breast and create some trouble to a feeble old Man And therefore he withdrew them from thence and disposed them to receive his Blessing Ver. 13. And Joseph took them both c. Made them kneel down by himself before Jacob Placing Ephraim towards Jacob's Left Hand c. Ver. 14. Stretched out his right hand and laid it on Ephraim's head Laying Hands on the Head of any Person was always used in this Nation in giving Blessings and designing Men to any Office and in the Consecration of Publick and Solemn Sacrifices This is the first time we meet with the mention of it but in after-times we often read of it particularly when Moses constituted Joshua to be his Successor God orders him to do it by laying his Hands on him Numb XXVII 18 23. Deut. XXXIV 9. Thus Children were brought to our blessed Saviour that he might lay his Hands on them and bless them and so he did Matth. XIX 13 15. And the Right Hand being the stronger and that wherewith we commonly perform every thing the laying that on Ephraim's Head was giving him the preheminence Who was the younger It is observed by Theodoret upon 1 Sam. XVI that God was wont from the beginning to preferr the younger before the elder As Abel before Cain Sem before Japhet Isaac before Ishmael Jacob before Esau Judah and Joseph before Reuben and here Ephraim before Manasseh as afterwards Moses before Aaron and David the youngest of all before his elder Brethren Which was to show that the Divine Benefits were not tied to the Order of Nature but dispensed freely according to God's most wise Goodness Guiding his Hands wittingly He did not mistake by reason of his blindness but foreseeing by the Spirit of Prophecy how much Ephraim would excel the other he designedly and on purpose thus
of it and exercised great Cruelties there Amos I. 13. Long before which the Book of Judges informs us how they were oppressed by this People for eighteen Years together X. 8. and came with a great Army and encamped in Gilead verse 17. which was in the Tribe of Gad. But he shall overcome at the last This was eminently fulfilled when Jephtha the Gileadite fought with the Children of Ammon and subdued them before the Children of Israel Judg. XI 33. and when this Tribe together with their Brethren of Reuben and Manasseh made War with the Hagarites and possessed themselves of their Country Which they kept till the Captivity because the War was of God 1 Chron. V. 22. Ver. 20. Out of Asher i. e. Of his Country His Bread shall be fat Shall be excellent Provision of all sorts for the sustenance of humane Life For Bread comprehends not only Corn but Wine and Oil and all sorts of Victuals XXI 14. And he shall yield royal dainties His Country shall afford not only all things necessary but the choicest Fruits fit to be served up to the Table of Kings For part of it lay about Carmel Josh XIX 26. where there was a most delicious Valley Ver. 21. Naphtali is a Hind let loose As he had compared Judah to a Lion and Issachar to an Ass and Dan to a Serpent so he compares this Son to a Hind which is not confined within Pales or Walls But runs at large whither it pleaseth Whereby is signified that this Tribe would be great lovers of Liberty He giveth goodly or pleasing words Which denotes their Address as we now speak charming Language and Affability to win the Favour of others And thereby preserve their Peace and Liberty Mercer makes this Verse to signifie their speed and swiftness in dispatch of Business and their smoothness in the management of it Which might render them acceptable to all Men. There are no Instances indeed in Scripture to make out this Character For Barak who was of this Tribe was very slow in undertaking the Deliverance of Israel Nor do we read they were more zealous Assertors of Liberty than others But yet this will not warrant us to alter the punctation of the words as Bochart doth P. I. Hierozoic L. III. cap. 18. to make a quite different Sence which is this Naphtali is a well-spred Tree which puts out beautiful Branches For we do not find that they were either more beautiful or numerous than other Tribes But we find quite contrary that Simeon Judah Issachar Zebulon and Dan were all more numerous than they when Moses took an account of them Numb I. 23 27 29 31 39. Besides this Interpretation makes this Verse in a manner the very same with the next concerning Joseph Therefore though the LXX agree to Bochart's Version we had better stick to our own which makes a Sence clear and proper enough Ver. 22. Joseph is a fruitful Bough Or young Plant. It is an Allusion to his Name which imports growth and increase And may well be understood of the great Dignity to which he was risen in Egypt Unto which he was advanced in a short time after Pharaoh took notice of him Like a Bough or young Plant which shoots up apace and thence compared in the next words to A fruitful Bough by a well Or Spring of Water Which in those dry Countries made the Plants which were set near them to grow the faster and to a greater heighth Psalm I. 3. and therefore signifies his extraordinary advancement Whose Branches run over the Wall Cover the Wall that surrounds the Spring or the Wall against which the Tree is planted Which seems to denote the two Tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh which sprang from him and were very flourishing As appears from Josh XVII 14 17. where they tell him they were a great People whom the LORD had blessed hitherto And Joshua there acknowledges as much saying Thou art a great People and hast great Power And therefore assigns them a larger Portion of Land than they had at first The Hebrew word Banoth which we translate Boughs literally signifying Daughters some think that as he speaks of the Sons of Joseph in the foregoing part of the Verse so in this he speaks of his Daughters that they should go to the Wall i. e. saith Dr. Lightfoot even to the Enemy To repair the Hostile Tribe of Benjamin which otherwise had decayed for want of Wives For so the word Schur signifies and is translated by us an Enemy Psalm XCII 11. And D. Chytraeus understands hereby Daughters the Cities of the Tribe of Ephraim which should be well governed though some should set themselves against it Ver. 23. The Archers In the Hebrew the words Baale chitsim signifie Masters in the Art of Shooting and therefore denotes those here spoken of to be skilful in doing Mischief Such were his Brethren who were full not only of Envy but Hatred to him XXXVIII 4 5 11. Some referr it also to Potiphar's Wife who wickedly slandred him And others to the whole Tribe of Ephraim who were incompassed with Enemies who in general are meant by Archers when the Kingdom was setled in them over the ten Tribes Have sorely grieved him By their unkind or rather churlish Behaviour towards him for they could not speak peaceably to him XXXVIII 4. and it 's likely they reviled him and threw out bitter words against him Which are properly compared to Arrows Psalm LXIV 3. And shot at him Designed to destroy him and did actually throw him into sore Afflictions XXXVIII 22 24 28. And hated him Which arose from their hatred to him Ver. 24. But his Bow abode in strength He armed himself with invincible Patience having nothing else to oppose unto their malicious contrivances It seems to be a Metaphor from those Soldiers who have Bows so well made that though often never so often bent they neither break nor grow weak Such was the Temper of Joseph's Mind And the Arms of his Hands were made strong i. e. He was strengthned and supported Being like to a strenuous Archer the Muscles and Sinews of whose Arms are so firm and compact that though his Hands draw his Bow continually he is not weary By the Hands of the mighty God of Jacob. Which Fortitude he had not from himself but from the Almighty who had supported Jacob in all his Adversities and made all that Joseph did when he was sold and imprisoned to prosper in his Hands XXXIX 3 22 23. The Hebrew word Abir which signifies Potent or Powerful and we translate mighty One is as much as the LORD of Jacob. For from Power it comes to signifie Potestas Authority and Dominion also as Bochart observes From thence From the Divine Providence over him before mentioned Is the Shepherd Joseph became the Feeder and Nourisher of his Father and of his Family and of their Flocks and Herds Preserving them all from being famished And the Stone of Israel Who upheld them all
yet said by Sarai Ver. 3. Gave her to her Husband Abram to be his Wife A secondary Wife which was a Liberty they took in those days who was not to be Mistress of the House but only to bear Children for the increase of the Family Now I can see no good Reason why Sarai her self should persuade her Husband contrary to the Inclination of all Women to take another Wife which she her self also gave him but only the eager desire she was possessed withal of having the promised Seed Which gives a good Account also of Jacob's Wives contending so earnestly as they did for his Company Ver. 4. Her Mistress was despised in her Eyes Hagar began to take upon her as if she had been Mistress of the House at least much more favoured by God who had made her Fruitful Which was accounted a great Blessing and Honour in those days especially in a Family that had no Heir Ver. 5. My wrong be upon thee Thou art the cause of this Injury or these Affronts which I suffer by being too indulgent to my Maid and not repressing her Insolence Or it is incumbent on thee to see me redressed of the Wrong that is done me See Lud. de Dieu The Lord judge between me and thee Sometimes this Phrase signifies an Appeal to God as the Avenger of Wrongs But here it seems only to denote her committing the Equity of her Cause to the Judgment of God Ver. 6. Behold thy Maid is in thy hand Is subject unto thee Do with her as pleases thee Use her as thy Maid and not as my Wife And when Sarai dealt hardly with her Beat her perhaps or imposed on her too much or too servile Labour She fled from her Face Run away to avoid her cruel usage Ver. 7. And the Angel of the LORD c. This is the first time that we read of the appearance of an Angel By whom Maimonides will scarce allow us to understand more than a Messenger More Nevoch P. II. c. 42. But some Christians go so far into the other extream as to understand hereby the Eternal ΛΟΓΟΣ or Son of God It seems to me more reasonable to think that though the Schechinah or Divine Majesty did not appear to her as it had often done to Abram Yet one of the heavenly Ministers who were Attendants upon it and made a part of its Glory was sent to stop her Proceedings And a great Favour it was that the LORD would dispatch such a Messenger after her Who was sufficient to do the business In the way to Shur She was flying into Egypt her own Country upon which the Wilderness of Shur bordered and only rested a while at this Fountain to refresh her self Ver. 8. And he said Hagar Sarai's Maid He takes notice of her being Sarai's Maid rather than Abram's Wife to put her in mind of her Duty and that she could not honestly leave her Mistress without her Consent For so it follows in the next Verse Ver. 9. Return to thy Mistress and submit c. It is the same word here translated submit with that Verse 6. where it is rendred dealt hardly Signifying that she should be Patient and indure the Hardship of which she complained or suffer her self to be afflicted by her Ver. 10. I will multiply c. I will make thee partaker of the Promise I have made to Abram XV. 5. The Angel delivers this Message to her in the Name of God who sent him Ver. 11. Behold thou art with Child c. Do not doubt of what I say for thou art with Child of a Son who shall be the Father of a great People This Promise was renewed to Abram in the next Chapter XVII 20. and we find was performed XXV 12. Shalt call his Name Ishmael Some of the Jews take notice of the Honour which was here done him in calling him by his Name before he was born There being but Six they say who were thus distinguished from others the two first were the Sons of Abram Ishmael and Isaac and the last was the Messias The LORD hath heard thy affliction Thy Complaint under the Affliction thou hast endured from thy Mistress and here in the Wilderness This Passage shows it was an Angel which appeared and spake to her from the LORD and not the LORD himself Ver. 12. A wild Man The Hebrew word Phere here joyned with Man signifies a wild Ass And so is well translated by Bochart tam ferus quam onager as wild as a wild Ass Which loves to ramble in Desarts and is not easily tamed to live in society His Hand shall be against every Man c. He shall be very Warlike And both infest all his Neighbours and be infested by them He shall dwell in the presence of his Brethren Be a Nation by himself near to all his Brethren whether descended from Isaac or from the rest of Abram's Sons by Keturah Who though annoyed by him shall not be able to dispossess him This is such an exact Description of the Posterity of Ishmael throughout all Generations that none but a Prophetick Spirit could have made it as Doctor Jackson truly observes Book I. on the Creed c. XXV wildness being so incorporated into their Nature that no change of Times hath made them grow tame Ver. 13. She called the Name of the LORD that spake to her By his Angel for she look'd upon the Presence of the Angel as a Token of the Divine Presence though she saw it not in its full Glory Thou God seest me Takest Care of me wheresoever I am For she said Have I also here looked after him that seeth me There are various Interpretations of these words The plainest is that of De Dieu Who observes that the word Halom always signifies Place not Time or that which is done in any Place and so we translate it by the word here But there he makes a stop after that word by way of admiration in this manner And even here also Or even thus far It had been less wonder if God had taken Care of me in my Master's House but doth he follow me with his Favour even hither This is wonderful And then the next words have I looked after him that seeth me carried this sence Have I beheld God who taketh Care of me What a Favour is this that he would so far Condescend to me It ought never to be forgotten therefore she called his Name Thou God seest me Ver. 14. Beer-lahai-roi Some would have this referr both to Hagar and to God in this manner The Well of her that liveth and of him that seeth i. e. who preserves me in Life So it was an acknowledgment that she owed her Life and Safety to God Ver. 15. Abram called his Son's Name c. Hagar having told him at her return the foregoing Story he gave his Son this Name in Obedience to the Angel's Command Verse 11. Ver. 16. Fourscore and six Years old He was seventy five Years old
when he came into Canaan XII 4. and had been ten Years there when he took Hagar to Wife Verse 3. of this Chapter and therefore was then eighty five Years old and consequently eighty six the next Year when Ishmael was born CHAP. XVII Ver. 1. WHen Abram was ninety nine Years old Thirteen Years after Ishmael's Birth The LORD appeared to Abram In a visible Majesty to satisfie him that the Promise made XV. 4 5. should not be fulfilled in Ishmael I am the Almighty God Or All-sufficient This is the first time we meet with this Name Which was most fitly used here when he speaks of a thing very difficult to be done but not beyond the Power of God who can do all things and needs none to assist him Walk before me Go on to please me And be thou perfect Till thou hast compleated thy Faith and Obedience Ver. 2. And I will make my Covenant c. Establish and perform my Covenant For it was made before and now only confirmed by a Sign or Token of it verse 11. Ver. 3. Abram fell on his Face Being astonished at the Brightness of that Majesty which appeared to him verse 1. Ver. 4. As for me behold my Covenant c. Be not afraid for it is I who am constant to my Word and now again ingage my self unto thee Thou shalt be a Father of many Nations Not only of Jews and Ishmaelites and others but in the Spiritual Sence of all the Gentile World Ver. 5. Neither shall thy Name c. Abram is commonly interpreted high Father and Abraham the Father of a Multitude So the very Text expounds the reason of this Name For a Father of many Nations have I made thee There are many ways of making out this meaning but none seems to me so plain as that of Hottinger's who makes it a composition of Ab a Father and the old word Raham which still in Arabick signifies a great Number Smegma Orient Cap. VIII § 19. Ver. 6. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful c. I observed before XII 7. that Abram's Obedience was constantly rewarded in kind c. of which here is a new proof For upon his submission to be circumcised wherein his Obedience was next tried which might seem to weaken the Power of Generation as Maimonides affirms it doth More Nevoch P. III. c. 49. God promises that he would make him so exceeding Fruitful that Nations and Kings should proceed from him As there did both by Israel Edom and Ishmael from whom the Saracens came c. Ver. 7. An everlasting Covenant The word Olam which we translate Everlasting hath often a limited signification to the end of such a Period as Exod. XXI 6. a Servant for ever is till the Year of Jubilee though with respect to the thing signified this Covenant is absolutely everlasting and continues now that the sign is abolished The next words tell us what was signified in this Covenant of Circumcision To be a God unto thee c. I think Maimonides hath truly observed that in Circumcision they covenanted with God to have no other God but him Or in his Phrase they covenanted concerning the belief of the Vnity of God More Nev. P. III. c. 49. Who promised to be their God that is to bestow all manner of Blessings upon them and at last to send the Messiah Ver. 8. And I will give thee c. Here he again renews his Promise XII 7. XIII 15. XV. 18. and confirms it by this Covenant to give him that Land wherein he was at present a stranger and to put his Seed in possession of it An everlasting possession If they did not forfeit it by their disobedience to him Ver. 9. Thou shalt keep my Covenant therefore c. Now follows Abraham's part of this Covenant which was mutual between God and him Ver. 10. This is my Covenant Which the next Verse explains by the Sign or Token of the Covenant As the Paschal Lamb is called the Passover of the Lord Exod. XII 11. That is the memorial of the Angel's passing them by when he killed the Egyptian Children XIII 9. But Circumcision was such a Sign that they entred thereby into a Covenant with God to be his People For it was not a mere Mark whereby they should be known to be Abraham's Seed and distinguished from other Nations But they were made by this the Children of the Covenant and intitled to the Blessings of it Though if there had been no more in it but this That they who were of the same Faith as Maimonides speaks should have one certain Character whereby they should be known and joyned one to another without the mixture of any other People it had been a very wise appointment And this Mark was very fitly chosen because it was such a Token as no Man would have set upon himself and upon his Children unless it were for Faith and Religion sake For it is not a Brand upon the Arm or an Incision in the Thigh but a thing very hard in a most tender part Which no Body would have undertaken but on the fore-named account P. III. More Nev. c. 49. It may be proper here to add That Covenants were anciently made in those Eastern Countries by dipping their Weapons in Blood as Xenophon tells us and by pricking the Flesh and sucking each others Blood as we read in Tacitus Who observes L. XII Annal. that when Kings made a League they took each other by the Hand and their Thumbs being hard tied together they prick'd them when the Blood was forced to the extream parts and each Party lick'd it Which he saith was accounted Arcanum foedus quasi mutuo cruore sacratum a mysterious Covenant being made Sacred by their mutual Blood How old this Custom had been we do not know But it is evident God's Covenant with Abraham was solemnized on Abraham's part by his own and his Son Isaac's Blood and so continued through all Generations by cutting off the Fore-skin of their Flesh as it follows in the next Verse whereby as they were made the Select People of God So God in conclusion sent his own Son who by this very Ceremony of Circumcision was consecrated to be their God and their Redeemer Ver. 11. Ye shall circumcise the Flesh of your foreskin i. e. The Foreskin of your Flesh For that Member which is the Instrument of Generation is peculiarly called by the Name of Flesh in many places Lev. XV. 2. Ezek. XVI 26. In which part of the Body rather than in any other God appointed the Mark of his Covenant to be made that they might be denoted to be an Holy Seed consecrated to him from the beginning The Pagans made Marks in several parts of their Bodies some in one some in another whereby they were consecrated to their Gods But the Character which God would have imprinted upon his People was in one peculiar part and no other from which they never varied viz. In that part which